Revolver And Friend
by strange writer
Summary: A Zell/Squall/Seifer fic. Rated R for cursing and violent material. A story about three young men, the love they have for each other, and the cruel & unrelenting regime they suffer under known as Balamb Garden. Incomplete; light yaoi content. Ch.14 up.
1. A Perfect Opportunity

Revolver And Friend  
------by strange writer  
  
  
  
  
  
Another calm day in Balamb Garden. Everything seemed so peaceful...there were no battles going on, Galbadia had been relatively quiet, and SeeD had not been dispatched in quite a long while. Yes, everything was quite peaceful indeed...  
  
But if you're a SeeD trainee, that's just not good business.  
  
Now, more than ever, Balamb Garden needed more SeeDs. The ones they had right now were going on into their second year into 'SeeD-ship', to say. Graduating more trainees was essential to the future of Balamb. If nothing happened soon, Galbadia would fly ahead in the talent department, leaving them up the river in terms of cash-flow. Galbadia was always in some sort of battle, since they are more of a warlike country than other nations, like Trabia and Balamb. Constant fighting between them and the hidden city of Esthar kept new recruits busy. And that, according to Headmaster Cid wasn't good...not good at all.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mr. Cid," the receptionist said through the intercom in his office. "You have a call. Should I patch him through?"  
  
"Who is it now," he asked in a dreary tone, putting down a large stack of papers that he was reading through. "Tell that fool Martine that he doesn't need to rub it in. I've got enough problems as it is."  
  
"Sorry, Mr. Cid, it's not him," she replied in a soothing tone. "It's some guy...he talks really weird."  
  
"...Weird?"  
  
"Yes. He speaks really loud...and he sounds like he's laboring under heavy breath."  
  
Cid widened his eyes, then replied. "I'll take it! I've got it, Sheila. Thank you!"  
  
"Sure thing," she said, as she got off the intercom. Cid immediately picked up the phone, almost letting it slip from his hands in clumsiness. He fumbled to get the receiver to his ear. Speaking cautiously, he asked who it was...even though he already knew full well who it was.  
  
"H-Hello? Who is it?"  
  
"YOU-FOOL-CID! WHAT-MUST-I-DO-TO-SAVE-GARDEN?," the voice roared through the phone.  
  
"W-Well, I was just about to...call you. You see, I~~"  
  
The vicious voice cut him off. "NO-EXCUSE-IS-GOOD-ENOUGH-CID! YOU-NEED-A-MISSION!"  
  
Cid asked in a low, kindly tone, "Um...w-what do you w-want me to do? You know I can't just make missions..."  
  
"I-CAN," the voice countered.  
  
"But that's unethical! The rule book clearly states that~~"  
  
He got cut off again. "I-KNOW-WHAT-RULE-BOOK-SAYS! I-WROTE-RULE-BOOK-REMEMBER?"  
  
"Y-y-yes. I know, but~~"  
  
"CID! YOU-ARE-MY-SUBORDINATE! YOU-WILL-DO-WHATEVER-I-SAY!"  
  
Cid finally gave in, realizing whatever he said or suggested would fall on deaf ears. "...I understand. What do you want me to do?"  
  
"GALBADIA-WILL-ATTACK-DOLLET. SEED-AND-SEED-TRAINEES-WILL-TAKE-MISSION-TO-TAKE-BACK-DOLLET-FROM-GALBADIA."  
  
"Dollet? Are you sure," he asked.  
  
"YOU-WILL-QUESTION-MY-JUDGMENT-CID?"  
  
"N-no! I would never...I'd never do that," he profusely repeated.  
  
"GOOD. THAT-IS-THE-PLAN-FOR-BALAMB-GARDEN. GALBADIA-SOLDIERS-ATTACK-DOLLET. SEED-AND-SEED-TRAINEES-WILL-APPEAL-TO-BOARD-OF-DOLLET-DIRECTORS-TO-SAVE-DOLLET. BALAMB-GARDEN-WILL-ACCEPT-MISSION-AND-FIGHT-GALBADIA. THAT-IS-THE-PLAN."  
  
"O-Okay," he said, worry filling his voice.  
  
"GOOD. YOU-UNDERSTAND-NOW."   
  
"Whew," the stressed man sighed to himself silently.  
  
"CID-I-MUST-TELL-YOU-SOMETHING."  
  
Cid didn't like where this conversation was heading. "Y-Yes?"  
  
"IF-BALAMB-GARDEN-FAILS-YOU-WILL-DIE!"  
  
The receiver cut off abruptly, leaving Cid clinging to a dead phone. Hanging up the phone and wiping the few beads of sweat that accumulated off of his brow, Cid pulled out a bottle of hard liquor from his top desk drawer. He then pulled out a small shot glass, pouring himself a little. Just then, the receptionist knocked and entered. Seeing the bottle of liquor on the desk, the woman in a dark blue skirt and pony-tailed black hair asked him if anything was wrong.  
  
"Mr. Cid, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, it's nothing. I'm fine."  
  
"Well, all right." She walked over to his desk and handed him some more papers. "I just received these by digital fax from Galbadia Garden. Headmaster Martine sent these."  
  
"..."  
  
"Mr. Cid, sir?"  
  
"I see. Sheila, thank you. You may go now."  
  
Sheila the receptionist left his office, leaving him to drink his booze alone. He picked his shot glass up, sipped its contents, leaned back in his chair and sighed in anticipation of the battle to come.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In the cafeteria, first lunch period had already began. Large crowds of students had already gotten in line, and it extended nearly all the way out into the lobby. Nearly all of the lunch tables had already been taken, and people talked and laughed about their classes and their after-school activities. One particular young man, wearing a dark black coat, lined with snow white fur and wearing multiple brown belts on his equally black jeans was near the front of the line. He looked depressed.  
  
"I hate this. Why do I have to fight this idiot again," he pondered to himself as he stood in line to get his food. Then a loud voice came out of nowhere.  
  
"Hey! Squall!"  
  
The young man named Squall looked around, looking to find out where the voice was coming from. A short youth with short blonde hair, a strange tattoo on his left cheek and wearing red and blue-colored casual wear came running up to him.  
  
"Hey Squall! How's my favorite pal doing today, eh?"  
  
"...Just fine, Zell," he replied dully.  
  
The young man named Zell stood there for a minute, then started to converse with the girls in line behind Squall. "Hey ladies," he said, flashing his trademark cheesy smile at them. "What's for lunch today?"  
  
"Hot dogs, of course," they replied simultaneously, giggling in the process.  
  
"Yep! That's right," he replied, turning to the dark-haired youth again. "So Squall, you won't mind if I get in here, would ya?" Zell got in front of the two schoolgirls and right behind him, making no effort to cover up the fact that he was cutting in line. Two boys and another girl started to flail their arms, complaining and yelling at this brazen maneuver.  
  
"Quiet, Trepies," he countered, turning around in line and ignoring them. The Trepies got back in line, deciding not to make a big scene.  
  
"...What a jerk," Squall whispered to himself.  
  
"Eh," Zell asked, still sporting that stupid smile. "What's the big deal? It's just me, after all."  
  
"No big deal. Forget about it," he replied, not even turning around to look at him.  
  
"Oh well. So anyway, Mr. Mysterious! What's for lunch?"  
  
"..."  
  
"What? What did I do," the blonde asked.  
  
Squall turned around and replied. "Hot dogs, of course! E-hee-hee," he said, with painful sarcasm. He rolled his eyes and turned back around in line.  
  
"Okay, okay...geez, no reason to get all huffy..."  
  
Squall had finally gotten to the front of the line. The cafeteria lady looked up and politely asked what he wanted.  
  
"An order of salad and some orange juice," he calmly replied.  
  
"Pick it up at the counter," she told him. "Next!"  
  
Squall left and headed over to get his order. Zell walked up to the ordering stand grinning, like he had won an award or something. The cafeteria lady looked up and smiled. "If it isn't little Zell! I know what you want today!"  
  
"Yep! I'm a growing boy, as you know!"  
  
"What was it," she asked. "Four hot dogs?"  
  
"Ahh, better make it five today. I trained really hard, so I need it!"  
  
"Coming right up," she replied with joy. She handed him a tray with five hot dogs on it. Zell politely thanked her and left to sit down. The two girls got up to the counter, but the cafeteria lady spoke up before they could. "Sorry, but we're out of hot dogs", she announced loudly. "You'll have to have a burger or a salad instead!" The entire line moaned simultaneously, while the Trepies all stomped one foot on the ground and snapped their fingers. Zell sat down at a nearby table, while Squall was putting some dressing on his salad. As he did this, he wondered to himself about something that just transpired...or that he thought had just transpired.  
  
"In line, did Zell touch my..." He thought about it for a moment, then shook his head, telling him it didn't happen and that it was all his imagination. "Nah. My mind has to be messing with me. That couldn't have possibly happened." He picked up his tray and looked for a place to sit.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
All of the dining tables were filled except for a few that were far away from the exits. Squall tried to pick a place to sit down and eat from the few remaining spots left. He decided to sit down alone at a table that happened to be right across from where Zell was at. Putting his tray down, he pulled out the chair and made himself comfortable. As he looked over, Zell was talking off his denim jacket and hanging it over the chair. The blonde sat down and rubbed his hands together, getting ready to chow down.   
  
"It's time for some grub," he loudly proclaimed. He stuffed one hot dog completely in his mouth, trying to get the whole thing down in one gulp without chewing. Squall could only just watch him as he stuffed his face. Zell looked up and saw him watching. He gave him a quick wink.  
  
"Huh," Squall thought, bringing his head back a little. "Did he just..."  
  
As he continued to chow down, people sitting at a nearby table watched him eat while laughing at him.  
  
"You idiot," one guy said. "Don't you know what teeth are for? Sheesh!"  
  
"Yeah, really," a girl chimed in. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to chew thoroughly before you swallow? Oh well, I guess the Dincht family ARE just a bunch of Neanderthals." The group at the table laughed loudly at that while Zell just looked at then with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Shut up," he said, his voice muffled by the partially eaten hot dog. He ate the rest of it quickly and finished up his thoughts. "Shut up! What the hell do you know about my family?"  
  
"Enough to know that you have no values," said the guy.  
  
"What," exclaimed Zell. He threw the hot dog he had just picked up back down onto the tray. He then marched over to the malicious youth mocking him, pulling him up out of his chair by his shirt. "What'd you say, punk? Huh?"  
  
"I-I-I didn't s-say anything," he stated with cowardice, knowing the situation he was in wasn't tilted in his favor.  
  
"Really," Zell asked. "What's the matter, moron? Don't wanna repeat what you said? Afraid I'm gonna kick your ass if you do? Huh?"  
  
"C-Come on now...there's no need to be like this..."  
  
"Yeah, right." He let go of him and pushed him back down in his seat. The guy had a long wet spot running down the left leg of his trousers. The fiery blonde went back to his station and resumed eating his meal in silence. Squall watched the entire event unfold in sheer amazement.  
  
"Wow," he said silently. "I never saw that coming."  
  
As Squall continued to eat, Zell looked up at him. He picked up his tray, got up and moved to the table where the darker-haired man was sitting.  
  
"Hey pal," he said, his mood drastically changing from horrible to likable in a split second. "Sorry you had to see that. I couldn't help it."  
  
"Don't mind me. I'm only an observer."  
  
"Okay, I see. So what's on your agenda for today?"  
  
Squall looked at him like he had asked him something strange. "Why do you want to know?"  
  
Zell replied. "Well, I just wanted to hang out with you for a little while."  
  
"Hang...out," he asked, like he had never heard the saying. "Why would you want to do that?"  
  
"I don't know. To see what you're always up to. You're always by yourself."  
  
"I know. That's how I prefer it."  
  
"Well, I don't like it."  
  
"That's too bad."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Squall was now getting irritated by this barrage of inquiries and comments. His tone got a little more darker now. "Listen. I enjoy being by myself. And that's all you need to know." He was going to end the conversation now. "So why don't you just scurry on along and~~" Squall stopped his sentence dead in its tracks. His attention was now fixed on something else.  
  
"What? What did I do," Zell asked him.  
  
"...?" Squall was peering his head up and around Zell to look behind him.  
  
"What?" Zell turned his head to see what was so interesting. At the furthermost table near the exit sat three people. On the left sat a muscular black man in a light blue vest and a dark blue baggy bottom. He was laughing belligerently and making crude comments. On the right sat a pale-looking female that also wore a light blue ensemble. She was listening to the man on the left crack jokes while she sharpened up the spiked tips of a large metal hoop with a pocket-sized knife. In the middle sat a taller man with very short sandy blonde hair, dark green eyes and a long trench coat. He wore a dark blue vest underneath and had his feet propped up on the table with his hands behind his head. As he sat that way, he stared directly at Squall.  
  
"Them? Oh geez, not now," Zell muttered.  
  
"..." Squall didn't acknowledge his comment.  
  
All of a sudden the man in the long tan coat got up from his seat and walked gingerly toward where the duo were sitting. He got to their table, putting his hands on it and looming over them.  
  
"Well well well, what do we have here," the man said with a sneer on his face. "If it isn't Captain Gunblade and his trusty sidekick Pansy-Boy!"  
  
"..." Squall stared directly into his eyes with suppressed ire.  
  
"Why don't you shut up and sit back down," Zell told him with force.  
  
The man turned his attention to him. "Well that wouldn't be very fun now, would it?"  
  
"What do you want anyway, Seifer?"  
  
"The man named Seifer answered with a big grin. "This just doesn't involve kids, so maybe you should cover your ears."  
  
"Screw you," he retorted.  
  
"Mmm. Interesting concept." Zell looked away, obviously furious and not wanting to show it. Seifer turned his attention again to Squall and continued on. "Listen up and listen well. It's goin' down in the hidden spot in the Training Sector. Either Raijin or Fujin will be waiting for you so they can show you where it's happening at." Seifer got in close to him, enhancing his menacing presence even more. "After final period. Be there." He pulled out from near him, taking his hands off the table and heading to the door. Raijin and Fujin were following in tow right behind their leader. As he turned to walk out, he addressed the gunblade wielder one final time. His tone of voice was calm and cool, yet frightening.  
  
"Please Squall. Don't disappoint me this time. And if you don't show up...I will come looking for you. And you honestly don't want me to come looking for you, because I'll be forced to cripple you."  
  
The trio walked out, leaving a stunned and silent lunchroom in their wake. Squall and Zell had completely forgotten that the cafeteria was still relatively full. And they were even more shocked when they realized everyone was listening in on the little meeting the two swordsmen had.  
  
"Damn...what does he mean 'it's goin' down'?" Zell turned to Squall, questioning what had happened. "Hey man! You two gonna have a little scrap or somethin'?"  
  
"..." Squall remained silent, not acknowledging his presence.  
  
"Hey! Squall! Snap out of it!" Zell grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. Squall countered by pushing his arms off of him.  
  
"I heard you the first time!"  
  
"Okay! Get a grip, man! Geez!"  
  
"...I do have a grip."  
  
"Yeah, sure. I believe you."  
  
Squall picked up his tray of salad that was barely even eaten, got up and dumped it in the trash. He proceeded to walk out of the cafeteria, leaving the fighter behind. "Hey, Squall! Wait up! Wa--------it!" Zell took his tray that had one partially eaten hot dog on it and dumped it. "Squall! Come on," he yelled as he sprinted out of the cafeteria.  



	2. Swordplay

Revolver And Friend: Swordplay  
  
  
  
  
  
"Dr. Kadowaki," Squall said in a dreary tone as he walked through the sliding doors leading to the office. "I just may need you today."  
  
She got up quickly, apparently knowing exactly what he meant. "I know. I have just the thing for you."  
  
The doctor of Balamb Garden, Dr. Kadowaki was a middle-aged, moderately plump woman with a kind attitude. She had been working in the Garden for well over four years now, and all of the students seem to have taken a liking to her. She was generally concerned about Squall's overall protection in the fight he was to have today after classes with Seifer. And she knew just how out of control this whole thing could go. Opening a cupboard above the office sink, she reached in and took out a vial containing a lime-green liquid and handed it to Squall.  
  
"What's this," he asked her.  
  
"You haven't seen a Hi-Potion before," she replied.  
  
"Oh, I see. Thanks."  
  
"No problem, Squall. I'm just playing it safe this time. Just don't get yourself in too deep, do you understand?"  
  
"Yes, Doctor."  
  
Squall tried to leave the office, but the plump, jovial woman stopped him before he could make it. "Wait a minute...I just may have something else for you."  
  
"Hm," he replied, turning around.  
  
Going into the cupboard again, she pulled out a jar that had a few feathers inside. Dr. Kadowaki pulled one out and handed it to Squall.  
  
"Take this Phoenix Down, in case you get knocked out."  
  
"Do you really think he'd knock me out," he asked her.  
  
"Come on, Squall! You're smarter than that," she said with a smile as she tussled his hair. "It's Seifer we're talking about. This old woman still knows the importance of gossip. All of the students that came into my office today have been talking about the big scene in the cafeteria."  
  
"That got all the way to you?"  
  
"Of course it did."  
  
Squall sighed, thanked the doctor and tried to leave again, but he was again stopped by her.  
  
"Squall," she called out.  
  
"Yeah," he replied.  
  
"Tell Zell to be careful too. You know how temperamental and explosive he can be. He absolutely hates Seifer, so I want him to watch himself too."  
  
"He's not fighting," he replied back to her. "I have no control over what he does. His problems are his problems. Besides," he continued, getting ready to leave. "He can take care of himself. It doesn't involve me." The door slid open, allowing the dark-haired student to leave. "Thanks again, Doctor." The door closed behind him as he left.  
  
The doctor stood there for a moment, then went over to her desk near the wall. Pulling out a stack of prognosis papers, she sat down and started to work on them. As she worked, her mind could only think of what would happen between both gunblade wielders.  
  
"Squall, I know you two aren't friends, but...don't you understand about Zell? Don't you have feelings," she silently said to herself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Zell had wandered into Squall's dorm room to see if he was there so he could talk to him about his upcoming battle with Seifer. After the incident in the cafeteria, Zell couldn't find him so he went to the place where he thought the young man would most likely be - - which was in his room. Actually he was surprised to find the room empty.  
  
"Now where in the hell did he go," the blonde asked himself.  
  
Zell decided to wait until he got back so that he could talk to him. He sat down on the semi-comfortable bed, observing the man's personal domain while he was away. The room itself were relatively bare, with little decoration adorning the walls. Right over the headboard of the bed hung a wrinkled poster of what looked to be a soldier wielding a gunblade in a menacing fashion.  
  
"Mmm," Zell thought to himself. "He really loves this type of stuff. It makes sense now..." He took a closer look at the poster, getting really close in on the picture. "Not too bad looking, either."  
  
He sat back down on the bed, but something else caught his attention. A large black case with a large silver lion emblem sitting propped up against the corner beckoned him - - the latches on the sides unlocked and the case cracked open a little. He got up, picked up the case, sat it on the work desk and took out the contents. It was Squall's gunblade, the Revolver.  
  
"Wow, neat," he commented aloud, holding the blade upwards in one hand to observe it. "Looks pretty good, and it's not that heavy. But it's sorta small...smaller than Seifer's." Zell got ready to put it back in the case, but he stopped. Thinking for a minute, he took it back out and began to swing it around in the air gently. Pretty soon, it was all-out swordplay, and Zell was getting into it.  
  
"Heh-heh, meet Zell, the Gunblade Master," he joked.  
  
With weapon in hand, he jumped up on the bed and looked at the poster of the man with a gunblade. He began to talk to it, as if the man were really there to challenge him.  
  
"Is that right," he said aloud to the poster. "You wanna challenge me? Huh? Well come on, hotshot! I'll tear you limb from limb!" He jumped up and down on the bed, swinging the sword and thrusting it wildly in the air. "I'm Zell, Gunblade Master of Balamb! You can't beat me! Hah-hah-hah!" Zell didn't know his own strength, however. With an extra hard thrust, he accidentally punctured the middle of the tattered material on the wall, piercing the soft metallic wall behind it as well.  
  
"Ulp! Oh no," he fearfully commented, right after the weapon got lodged into the wall. He quickly tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't release. Trying again with a little more strength, it moved slightly. But it still remained there, fairly firm in place.  
  
"Come on, Zell," he said softly. "If Squall sees this..."  
  
Gathering a massive amount of strength up, he grabbed hold of the black handle of the weapon. He tried to pull it out, but to no avail. Then, gathering all of the strength in his body, he gave it one final pull. The blade flew out of the tiny indent in the wall, making Zell fly backwards off the bed, landing on his back. He rose up off the floor and held it up, looking at the weapon to see if he damaged it. As he quickly observed, the tip of the gunblade itself had been broken off. The broken piece still sat imbedded in the tiny indentation in the wall.  
  
"Oh...oh shit," he said, slapping his forehead in utter shame. "Damnit! I broke it! Squall's gonna kill me when he sees this!" Zell looked at the tear in the wall, then quickly glanced around to see if there was something he could cover it up with. That is when he noticed a worn shirt of his hanging over the side of the work desk chair.  
  
"This should work," he said as he yanked the shirt off of the chair. Then he took a small movable plastic hook for hanging coats on from the opposite wall. Applying the suction cup part of the hook over the torn poster, he hung up the dirty shirt on the hook, concealing the small tear.  
  
"Ahh...it should do," he said to himself in relief. "Oh well."  
  
Picking up the gunblade off of the bed, he started to place it back in the holding box where it came from. As he was about to do this, the automatic sliding door opened, allowing the resident of the room to enter. As he did, a look of shock came over him.  
  
"What in the hell are you doing in here," Squall inquired.  
  
Zell stood straight up in pure reflex when he walked in. Not being able to get the gunblade back in the box, he knocked the black box into the corner and concealed the weapon behind his back. He was relatively sure Squall saw this, but didn't know what to think.  
  
"Oh...Squall! I never thought I'd see you here," Zell replied with a nervous smile.  
  
"This is my room. Why wouldn't you see me here?"  
  
"Err, well," was all he could think to say.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, I wanna talk to you. About Seifer and what happened in the cafeteria."  
  
Squall narrowed his eyes, apparent anger showing in his face. "That's the last name I want to hear today." He walked over and sat down on the bed, hanging his head. "I hate that bastard. I really do."  
  
"Yeah, he hates you too," Zell replied.  
  
"I'm quite aware of that, thank you," he replied.  
  
"So what's 'goin' down' tonight? Did you two have a fight?"  
  
"..."  
  
"...Or are you going to fight after classes?"  
  
"What is it to you," he countered.  
  
Zell backed up, trying not to make Squall any angrier then he already was. "Sorry, I just wanted to know."  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
Zell just stood there in silence, looking at the man who sat on the bed. His brooding attitude and appearance...his mysteriousness...Zell found these qualities most attractive in him. At lunch, he had hoped to get close to him so that he could establish some sort of a bond- - whether it be friendship or otherwise. Now that he reflected back on it, it hit him that he would never be able to become Squall's 'friend'. Squall wasn't that type of guy. He required a certain amount of solitude and isolation away from the hectic life of being a Garden student. He hated and resented all of the clichés and cliques that came along with being a student of Garden. He hated how everyone was forced to join one group or another in order to identify or fit in with everyone else. What he wanted, Zell thought, was to completely free of all obligations. To be free to do whatever he wanted without anyone looking twice at him or second-guessing his motives. Zell thought this feeling of strong will was attractive, and now he wanted to get to know Squall a little better.  
  
As the blonde stood there, he unknowingly began to relax his grip on the concealed gunblade. It came falling to the floor after a moment, making a loud clanging sound that made Squall snap to attention.  
  
"What in the...my gunblade," he said, pulling his head back.  
  
"Uh-oh," was Zell's comment.  
  
"Why do you have my gunblade," he furiously asked the fighter as he stood up from the bed. Walking around him, Squall kneeled to pick up the steel weapon off of the ground. He held it in both hands, wiping off some of the dust and fibers on it. As he got to the top of it, however...  
  
"...!"  
  
"Uh, Squall...I can explain everything," Zell said in an apologetic voice, seeing what was to come later already.  
  
"You broke it! You broke my gunblade," Squall yelled out loud. "You jerk!"  
  
"Squall, I~~"  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
As Squall held the blade in one hand, feeling the jagged and serrated edge of the blade where there was previously a tip at, he noticed something was different about his room.  
  
"You did something else."  
  
"W-What," Zell nervously said.  
  
"There's something different about the room. You did something else in here." Squall looked up at him, trying to figure out just what he did. He looked around to see if anything was out of place, and almost instantaneously he found that the worn short that was hanging over the work desk chair was missing. He looked to see it hanging over the headboard of his spartan-looking bed.  
  
"That wasn't there when I left. It was laying right over this chair", he pointed out, pointing to the chair while staring at the young blonde-haired man. Zell gave him an awkward look as Squall headed over to the hanging shirt. He yanked it off the hook, exposing a large tear in the small gunblade poster on the wall. Squall stumbled back a little, apparently in shock.  
  
"You didn't..."  
  
"Squall, I can explain! Please~~"  
  
"Shut up," he told him angrily as he went to investigate the wall. When he first looked at it, it only appeared to be a tear and nothing else. Squall looked confused, because that didn't explain why the gunblade itself had been broken. Then his mind began to wonder. Looking back at Zell, he only received an awkward smile.  
  
"Jerk," Squall again commented. Zell hung his head in shame.  
  
Squall looked at the gunblade that was laying on the table, then he looked at the big gash in the off-white, wrinkled poster on the wall. After a few moments of thinking, Squall thought he had come to the final conclusion as to what happened.  
  
"No...you couldn't have possibly...", Squall said silently as he approached the poster to get a close-up look. As he did, he looked back to Zell to get confirmation. He saw that he was slowly heading to the doorway in hopes of making an escape.  
  
"Stay right there," Squall snapped at him. Zell stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
He put his face up close to the tear in the poster and saw something shining beyond the paper. Tearing down the poster in one quick rip, he exposed the chunk of metal alloy that was jutting out of the wall.  
  
"..."  
  
Zell tried again to explain. "Squall? I can explain. Come on, let me~~"  
  
He interrupted him again by softly laughing. "I can't believe this. You broke the tip of my gunblade off in my dorm room wall." He continued to laugh, leaving Zell dumbfounded as to way he was doing this.  
  
"Uh, Squall? You all right?"  
  
"You may leave now," was his reply.  
  
Zell wanted to stay to explain his actions. "Squall, come on."  
  
"No. Please leave," he said, still chuckling.  
  
Zell took his advice and decided to leave. He thought that Squall would blow at any moment, and that it wouldn't be pretty if they got into an all-out fight over something as close to the gunblade warrior's heart as this. Walking away slowly, he exited the quarters. Squall saw him off with weapon in hand, shaking his head at how amazing this was. When the sliding doors closed, he sat down on his bed. Feeling the sharp and jagged edge of the broken part of the sword, he accidentally cut his index finger. A small drop of blood ran down his finger to his wrist. Squall held up his hand to examine the blood.  
  
"That bastard," he said to himself, shaking his head and still chuckling.  



	3. Words From An Idiot

Revolver And Friend: Words From An Idiot  
  
  
  
  
  
Squall headed toward the Garden Lobby from his dorm room. The lobby was incredibly large and beautiful, colored in a dark tan hue and decorated with different types of plant life. The floors had a shiny luster to them, and the place looked like it was just built yesterday. This was where a lot of the socialization between Garden students went on, and this was the place that stood out in the minds of tourists and travelers to Balamb's famed training facility. A large cylindrical glass tube sat in the middle of the spacious room, serving as the main elevator that shuttled students to and from classes on the different levels of the Garden. Lining the elevator shuttle was a large man-made pond that many thought to be the pride and joy of Balamb. The school's official mascot was a fish, so many students and faculty touted this lovely display.  
  
The pond teemed with a variety of aquatic life. Fish the world over swam in these waters, and it was because of Headmaster Cid's urging that this display be built to top off the Garden's uniqueness. Large carvings of stone fish that gushed water from their mouths lined the interior edges of the pond. These stone fish would alternate every ten seconds or so in water flow, creating quite a spectacle for the eye to see. Squall enjoyed it here because it was so peaceful and serene, and if he wasn't holed up in his dorm, he was enjoying the peace out here. Squall walked up to the edge of the pond and dipped his hand inside. A small school of tiny fish swam up to his hand, darting around and through the crevices of his fingers. As he ran his fingers in circles through the water, he thought to himself about the upcoming fight with Seifer.  
  
"Damn... why'd I even open my mouth to speak to him? I should've just ignored him...now he'll bother me for the rest of the day." Squall took his hand out of the water, and the fish soon swam away in a different direction. "I wish I was a fish," he thought to himself. "Fish lead carefree lives. They don't have to fight monsters or deal with self-righteous pricks named Seifer." Squall stood there, gazing into the water for a few moments, until his concentration was interrupted by approaching footsteps behind him. He turned around to see a little freckle-faced boy with brown hair staring at him, running in place. It was the boy who regularly ran laps around the lobby everyday.  
  
"What do you want kid? I'm busy," Squall told him in a dreary tone.  
  
"..." The little kid had a wide grin on his face.  
  
"What? Is there something on my face?"  
  
"Ha-ha-ha! I know about you! I know about you," he said, pointing at Squall.  
  
"Yeah? What is it that you know about me, brat?"  
  
"I know that...that Zell likes you," he said, still running in place.  
  
"Zell likes everyone, kid," Squall retorted. "He's popular. He's likable."  
  
"Heh, not that way, dummy," the kid said, putting his hands on his hips. "I mean he 'likes' you! Get it?"  
  
Squall narrowed his eyes at what he just heard. "I'm not a dummy."  
  
"Yeah you are! Hey, hey, hey, check this out," he said, jumping up and down. "I saw! In the cafeteria! Ha-ha-ha!"  
  
"Saw what," Squall asked, already fearing the response.  
  
"I saw him touch your butt! Ha-ha-ha," the belligerent boy laughed.  
  
Squall turned away, letting the boy laugh at him. "Damn," he thought to himself. "How did he..." He leaned over the fountain, trying to get his thoughts straightened out. He finally learned that it wasn't a figment of his imagination- -that Zell had just brushed by him on accident and that he mistakenly rubbed up against him. Squall discovered that it was quite the opposite- -that he had done it on purpose. Squall turned back to the kid and decided to ask him if he was lying or not.  
  
"Are...are you sure you saw this? I mean..." Squall had trouble getting the words out. "Did you see what you think you saw?"  
  
"Come on, old man," the child retorted. "I may be only ten years old, but I'm not THAT naive! Sheesh!"  
  
Squall turned back to the pond, hanging his head down. "So it did happen," he told himself. "So it did..."  
  
"So, what are you gonna do, old man," the kid asked him. "What will you say to him? Eh, eh, eh?"  
  
"What do you mean 'what am I gonna do'? I won't do anything," Squall responded. "And what am I even doing talking to you, anyway? Scram kid, before faculty catches you playing hooky!"  
  
"I'm not playing hooky, numbnuts," the boy responded, crossing his arms. Squall pulled his head back at these words. He was obviously shocked at his harsh vocabulary.  
  
"Uhh," was all Squall could manage to say.  
  
The boy looked over to the portal to the dormitory. He saw a young blonde come out. "Uh-oh...look who's here! It's...a love connection! Ha-ha-ha!" The boy got in close with Squall to offer some final words. "Listen, pal! I'm willing to bet that I know more about peoples' emotions than you...and that's a sad fact! If you want to find love, you have to be emotional, you know what I'm saying?!" The kid ran off, but not before yelling at him again. "Remember, be emotional! Or else!" The child began his daily routine of running laps in the lobby. Squall looked to see who was walking over to him, but he already had a relatively good guess as to who it was. The 'young blonde' was no one else but Zell.  
  
"Hey! Squall, over here," Zell yelled out to him. Squall hung his head over the fountain as the other Garden student ran over to him. Squall thought about beating a hasty retreat before he arrived, but he figured Zell could probably catch him. And besides, he didn't have anyone to talk to. He was lonely after all. So...  
  
"What the hell," Squall thought. "Emotion, eh...let's give it a try."  
  
Zell came up beside him, not the least bit out of breath. He proceeded to speak to him, even though he didn't look up from the water. "Hey man! I couldn't find you after you made me leave your dorm, and I wanted to apologize and all, so~~  
  
Squall looked up and interrupted him. "Zell! My main man! How's it hangin' man?" He slapped him on the back in a pathetic attempt at emotions. Zell was stunned into silence, mouth wide open.  
  
"What, man," Squall asked with a goofy grin. "I thought you wanted to go scope out some chicks or somethin'! Don't come bustin' up my groove, dude!"  
  
"...Squall," Zell asked. "Uhh..."  
  
"Dude, you gotta understand! I needs my peace time, and I needs my booty! So~~"  
  
"Squall! Come on now," Zell interrupted. "What is wrong with you?"  
  
Squall stood there, grinning at him. Then the grin faded into a gloomy look of despair. "Nothing, Zell. Just forget it."  
  
"Uh...Squall? Come on, tell me. Please?"  
  
"Forget it. It...was an experiment. It's not that important." Squall turned back to the small pond, not even bothering to look at Zell. "What brings you here? An apology, I believe you said?"  
  
Zell got his thoughts together and responded to his question. "...Yeah, right. You don't get 'booty' anyway, so I wouldn't believe that."  
  
Squall looked up and sarcastically laughed. "Har-de-har-har."  
  
"So anyway...yeah, I wanted to apologize about breaking your Revolver and stuff," Zell said, rubbing the back of his head. "I know how important it is to you and stuff."  
  
"..."  
  
"Seriously man. I'm really, really sorry."  
  
"I know."  
  
"So...now what?"  
  
"It's fine, Zell. It's not broken, to tell you the truth."  
  
"What? It isn't? But it's chipped and stuff, so I thought it was useless now."  
  
"Well," Squall said, looking to the floor. "The gun module isn't 100% effective, but that can be easily fixed. Some of the internal wiring connecting the main trigger line to the mother grid inside of the barrel is severed, but like I said...it can be easily fixed.  
  
The boy who was running laps in the lobby had found his way over to the two. Both of them turned to him as he ran by. Jogging slowly past them, he offered a caustic comment to Squall before he went on his way.  
  
"Nice try, numbnuts! Ha-ha-ha!"  
  
The boy was off again. Squall narrowed his eyes, and Zell was left wondering what had happened between them.  
  
"Hey, what's with you and that kid," he asked him.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all. He's just a little obnoxious bastard, is all."  
  
"Ha-ha-ha! Wow, Squall...you, calling someone else obnoxious? Hmm...!"  
  
Squall turned to Zell, looking at him with one eyebrow cocked. Zell stopped laughing and tried to apologize to him. "Okay, okay...Squall, I didn't mean it. Seriously."  
  
"Mmm-hmm. So you say."  
  
"Really, man. You don't believe me," he asked the darker-haired one.  
  
"No. Sorry, I don't."  
  
"All right. That's fine." Zell decided to change the topic to something they could both talk about. "Hey Squall...aren't you supposed to be going to the Fire Cavern today for your SeeD exam? You know today's the last day, so you can't procrastinate anymore."  
  
Squall looked at Zell as if he had seen a ghost. He had completely forgotten that there was that SeeD exam that everyone had to take before they even so much as received a chance to become a SeeD. The test of the Fire Cavern had to be completed today, or else he'd have to wait another three months before he got another opportunity. He also ran the risk of being expelled from school for not completing the test, especially because he had so much time to prepare for it.  
  
"Damnit! I completely forgot," Squall almost screamed out. "How could I have..."  
  
"Well, like I said, you still have time," Zell reassured him. "Today."  
  
"It's all Seifer's fault, that bastard. I had my mind on the fight for the whole week. I know it was because of that."  
  
"Don't even mention his name. You'll be better off if you don't," Zell said in response.  
  
"Easier said than done. I can't stand him."  
  
"I can't either. Just let it roll right off of you. Seifer needs the attention, so ignore him."  
  
"Yeah, right. If you say so."  
  
Squall and Zell stood there, looking into the clear waters of the indoor fountain in silence. Zell looked up at him, seeing a look of grief and torment in his face. He wondered what was bothering him, considering he had acted so strangely a few minutes ago. Zell knew it wasn't the upcoming fight with Seifer- -Squall was already accustomed to Seifer's scare tactics and menacing behaviors to stay calm and collected during those bouts. It was something else- -something that had gotten to his very core. Something that affected him so much that he was completely at a loss to what he should do next. As he stared directly at his face, Squall didn't seem to notice...or he didn't seem to care. At that instant, the boy jogging laps came by again with more caustic remarks.  
  
"Leonhart and Dincht...sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes...uh..." The boy stopped and thought about it, shrugged and kept on running. Both men were incensed at these remarks.  
  
"Nice kid, Squall. One of your friends," Zell asked, gritting his teeth.  
  
"No! Who do you take me for? Please," he countered.  
  
"I'll say! He's about as appealing as a whiff of MALBORO'S BREATH," Zell said, emphasizing the last part so the kid could hear it. He just shooed it off and kept doing laps. Zell turned to the fountain, rolling his eyes and blushing. "Jerk."  
  
"..." Squall also looked down to the fountain, also blushing. "Yes...I agree."  
  
The quiet was tense. The silence seemed to last forever after that incident, now that both of them knew the other knew about 'that time'. Neither of them could think of what to say to the other without possibly bring offense or embarrassment into the equation. An unknown amount of time passed, and the kid jogging passed by them numerous times, offering more pointed words and harsh commentary. He certainly wasn't helping the situation they both thought, and it really couldn't get more awkward than this. Fed up with the comments, Zell decided he would get even the next time he came around. Finally, Squall mustered up the convictions to initiate the dead conversation.  
  
"Zell, I~~"  
  
"Squall, I~~"  
  
They responded simultaneously. Both men laughed it off, and Squall offered to left Zell go first. "Please, go ahead."  
  
"Are...you sure," Zell asked him, still pretty tense.  
  
"Yes. It's fine with me. I can wait."  
  
"O-Okay. Squall, about what happened...in the cafeteria..."  
  
Squall looked at him curiously, thinking he knew what was about to come up. "Yes? What do you mean?"  
  
"I...well, you see..."  
  
The kid was on his way around again. Zell looked directly into his eyes as he came back to his side of the lobby. The boy began to make obnoxious kissing sounds, which began to get on Squall's nerves. He had practically slowed down to a walk, most likely to maximize the humiliation that they both were feeling.  
  
"Kissy kissy, Leonhart! Kissy kissy, Dincht! A-hah-hah-hah," the mean kid remarked.  
  
"Little snot-nosed brat," Squall countered under his breath, grinding his teeth. "You'll get yours someday. I can't stand people like you. You remind me of Seifer."  
  
"Seifer's way cooler than you, idiot," the kid said with a grin, hearing what he said. "I hope he kicks your ass, so I don't have to when I get bigger and stronger! Bye, fools!" The kid started off running again, but not before Zell could act. Almost as a reflex, he stuck his leg out in front of the boy. He didn't see it, causing him to trip and smack his face on the hard tile floor of the Garden Lobby. The sound reverberated throughout the quiet chamber, making Squall grin with joy. The bratty child got up, sporting a bloody nose and teary eyes.  
  
"Waaaah, you t-t-tripped me," he said, beginning to stutter. "I h-h-hate you!"  
  
"You deserved it, kid! You're lucky you aren't a little older, or else I'd have mopped the floor with you! Now move," he said, pointing to Dr. Kadowaki's office.  
  
The kid sniffed, trying to hold back the tears. "Waaaah, Dr. Kadowaki! Dincht tripped me! Waaaah," he wailed, running to the doctor's office. Squall broke out into laughter at this scene, and Zell stood proudly like he had just won an important award.  
  
"Oh my goodness! Zell, that was so funny! I can't believe that," Squall chuckled aloud.  
  
"Aah, it was nothing," Zell said humbly. "He should've kept his big mouth shut."  
  
"Hah-hah, amazing! I should've done the same thing! You sounded like a drill sergeant when you told him to 'move'!"  
  
"Yeah, I guess I did," he replied, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Oh man...well, I gotta go," Squall said out of the blue. "Bye, Zell."  
  
Squall started toward the elevator, preparing to go see Quistis Trepe, a teacher at the Garden. He had just gotten to the elevator when Zell decided to ask 'the question'. Calling out to him, Zell ran up to ask.  
  
"Squall," Zell said, running up to him. "I have something to ask you."  
  
"Sure. Go ahead," he replied.  
  
"Umm, about the incident in the cafeteria..."  
  
Squall blushed again, looking to the floor. This in turn caused Zell to blush because it indicated that he knew what he was talking about. Squall had wanted to avoid this scenario altogether, but there was really no running from fate. Or so he thought. With all of his inner fortitude and strength, Squall managed to reply.  
  
"I know, Zell. I...I know."  
  
Another moment of awkward silence began. Breaking it before it could settle in, Zell said the first thing on his mind, paying no mind to consequences if there would be any.  
  
"You have a nice laugh, Squall," Zell said, trying to ease the moment. He had some idea of what kind of reaction he wanted out of that comment. "I'd like to hear it again sometime. Those emotions were for real."  
  
"Um...t-thanks, I guess," Squall nervously replied. He wasn't too shocked to know that Zell knew he was faking. "Thanks...I guess."  
  
With that, he started toward the elevator. His back turned to Zell, the double doors closed, encasing him in the marble-and-glass confines of the shuttle. He turned around to press the '2F' button to send him to the classroom section of the Garden. The shuttle began to gently ascend through the glass tubing, moving on its way toward its determined destination. Squall could see Zell gazing up at him from the ground floor level, tightening his hands as he left him. He placed his hand on the glass as in indication that he recognized his feelings toward him. Squall solemnly shed a tear...not because he was ashamed of Zell's feelings or because his feelings were hurt by that boy that ran off. He cried...because he wanted to tell Zell how he really felt about him. It scared him to even attempt to do such a thing, but Squall wanted him to know that his feelings weren't entirely one-sided.  



	4. Before A Confrontation

Revolver And Friend: Before A Confrontation  
  
  
  
  
  
Quistis Trepe, a beautiful, tall blonde-haired SeeD instructor, stood outside of her classroom smoking a cigarette on her study period. There were three students remaining in her room, studying Guardian Forces and their origins in preparation for their final exam at the Fire Cavern today. It seems Squall Leonhart wasn't the only student who procrastinated. As the taciturn youth in dark-clad gear stepped out of the elevator, Quistis walked over to him to meet him halfway on the small overpass. The steel heels on her dark brown boots making loud clacking sounds with each step, she could only wanly smile at him as she took another drag of her cigarette. Squall stepped back a little, signaling that the smoke was making him nauseous.  
  
"I didn't know you smoked," he said to her, waving his hand through the air to clear out some of the gray haze from near his face. "You as a SeeD instructor know that you can't smoke on Garden premises."  
  
The woman cocked an eyebrow at his little comment. "I wasn't aware you were a member of Garden faculty."  
  
Rolling his eyes, Squall revealed his true purpose for coming to see her. Kneeling, he set the long black box with the silver lion emblem on the marble floor, unlatched each clip, opened the box and pulled out the contents from inside. Quistis looked at the chipped gunblade, knowing full well what he wanted from her.  
  
"It's fine," she said, flicking her cigarette butt over the railing of the overpass. Squall watched it disappear out of sight, and then returned his look to her.  
  
"Uh," was all Squall could say to her.  
  
"What? You won't rat me out, will you," she replied.  
  
"Whatever," both of them said in unison.  
  
Squall hated it when Quistis Trepe did that to him. It made him feel somehow inferior when the blonde bombshell finished his mannerisms all the time. In the past, she tried to reason it out by saying it was because he was so predictable and that she had known him for so long. Through Squall's years in Balamb Garden, he always had Quistis at least once per semester. It was a somewhat unusual situation, and Squall wondered why it was like this all the time. He had even surmised once that the teacher of SeeD candidates was in love with him and that she had somehow rigged the scheduling to get him every year. But being a man who relied on the power of logic instead of emotions, he convinced himself that it was an internal error in the main CPU of scheduling programs.  
  
"Can you at least tell me if I need to go to the tools shop in Balamb City to repair it," he asked her, now fed up. "The gun module isn't 100% in working order,"  
  
"Like I said, it's fine," she reassured him. "But if you want to, I can ask Xu to special-order some parts to fix up the damage. But I'm telling you, you'll be able to defeat Seifer with that. It'll be just fine."  
  
Squall looked at her strangely, surprised that she knew he was going to fight Seifer in less than an hour. But then again, Quistis was the most popular teacher in Garden. Every year she managed to win the Outstanding Instructor Award given to instructors by students. She even had a group of near-fanatics called 'Trepies' that followed her every move and command. She reminded Squall of the kind dominatrix that lived down next door, what with her imposing personality and her sheer amount of lackeys. But maybe he was the only one who felt this way about her, because every other student simply liked her.  
  
"You knew," was all he managed to say to her.  
  
"Yes...I knew," was her reply.  
  
Qusitis crossed her arms and stood in a way that made her bottom features sort of stick out. The young student noticed it, and didn't even give her a glance that way. She immediately changed her position back to normal, maybe feeling rejected by her offers.  
  
"Well, I have to watch these students", she told him. "But I have faith that you can beat Seifer in combat."  
  
What? Had Quistis just complimented him on his fighting techniques? Squall, not even remotely interested in her or her opinions, looked down at the floor in a humble manner. After all, gunblades and fighting techniques were something near and dear to his heart.  
  
"Thanks...I guess."  
  
"Well, see you later Squall. I'll be your complement in the Fire Cavern trial this afternoon."  
  
"Okay."  
  
The woman stepped backwards, then turned around to walk back to her classroom. Her butt swinging from side to side as she left, Squall thought she heard a sigh from her when she left his presence. If there was one thing he knew about Quistis Trepe, it was that she wasn't happy with her job as an instructor for Garden. Squall packed up his gunblade, locked the box back up, and got in to the elevator again, going back to his dorm room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Zell stood quietly on a balcony in the empty Quad area of the Garden, leaning on the railing and listening to the birds' melodious chirps and the light wind blowing on his face. On a beautiful day like this, Zell could see the town of Balamb. His mind wandered, touching down on many different thoughts as reviewed the events that took place between he and Squall today. As he pondered, he became fed up at how everything turned out and gripped the iron railing, putting a slight indentation into it.  
  
"Damnit Zell, you idiot," he thought. "You bonehead! You groped Squall Leonhart in the cafeteria, embarrassed yourself just a few minutes ago, and all you said was 'I'd like to hear your laugh again sometime?'" He picked up a small stone from near the stage on the ground and threw it far into the open air in frustration and anger, making it disappear from sight. "Maybe I should've been more honest and said 'I'd like to get into a relationship with you' or 'I'd like to get you into bed and have passionate sex with you'. But noooooo! You have to be a timid little bitch and say some crap like that!"  
  
Zell wanted to cry, but he wouldn't. Even though Squall was completely aware now that he had come on to him earlier, the blonde combatant felt that he had made a fool out of himself. He thought that his biggest fear would come to pass- -that Squall would make a concerted attempt to avoid him altogether and that, at worst, he would be 'outed' by a bitter swordsman seeking revenge. But even he knew there was very little chance of that happening. If Squall was anything, he was relatively shiftless- -at least to the point where he wouldn't care about anyone else's sexual preference.  
  
"Hey...chicken-wuss," came a slick voice from behind him.  
  
Zell jumped and turned around, unaware there was someone he utterly despised right behind him. The cocky, arrogant, self-righteous asshole named Seifer Almasy hovered right over him. His forest-green eyes seemed to pierce Zell's very soul as he gave the shorter youth a roguish look.  
  
"You gay little chicken-wuss," he said with a wicked grin all of a sudden, making Zell's eyes widen. "I thought I knew a short little runt who ogled every girl that walked by, but now I come to find out that it's simply not true. Zell Dincht is a flamboyant flamer who's looking for a different type of hole. Simply amazing, from my view."  
  
"You asshole. Fuck you," Zell snapped back at him, hoping to hurt his feelings.  
  
"Like I said earlier today, you queer midget. Is that an offer?" Now the brooding man in a trench coat was directly in his face. Zell somehow suppressed his rage from boiling over and the prime opportunity to hit his tormentor square in the nose. Instead he stood his ground, giving Seifer a stare down. Finally, the silence was broken by another one of the gunblade user's scathing insults.  
  
"Whoops, I'd better sit down before you tackle me from behind. I can only guess how much you just want to mount me like a horse."  
  
"Bastard," Zell mumbled from under his breath.  
  
Seifer turned his back to him and paced around the Quad. He continued on with his bombastic speech, insulting Zell at every turn he could. "My little horny chicken-wuss...whatever shall I do with you? Why can't you be normal and screw WOMEN instead of other guys? Oh, oops- -that's right. You're so pathetic and whiny that no girl wants anything to do with you. So what do you do, Dincht? How will you ever be able to understand what sex feels like? Easy- -in a move of desperation and depravity, you turn to members of the same sex."  
  
"..." As he talked, Zell gave him a look that would freeze water.  
  
"Don't look at me like that- -I'm not the queer here."  
  
"..."  
  
"Oh, the silent treatment, eh," Seifer inquired with a sneer, getting back into his face. He shoved him backwards, knocking him against the railing of the balcony. "You're not the tough guy you think you are, Dincht! Why don't you try picking on someone who's willing to stand up to you? Huh?" Seifer was obviously referring to the scene in the cafeteria where Zell picked up a student off the ground just by lifting the front of his shirt.  
  
"I hate you. I really, really hate you, Seifer."  
  
"Oh, I know you do. And you should. Because I hate you too, you freak. You wanna know why I hate you?"  
  
"..." Zell said nothing, knowing he would say it anyway.  
  
"...You don't deserve to know," Seifer said, surprising Zell. He backed off of him all of a sudden and turned around, his back facing him. Zell once again fought off the urge to just beat the man senseless, simply because he didn't want to get expelled from Balamb Garden. But it was hard to resist. Zell stood there silently, glaring a hole through the back of his head as his back was facing him.  
  
"..You disgust me. I thought I knew you."  
  
"..."  
  
"...Chicken-wuss. You little chicken-fag."  
  
All of a sudden, Seifer whipped around, raised his fist and struck an off-guard and unaware Zell in the face his fist. Zell was knocked off balance as Selfer hit him repeatedly in his head even more. Trying desperately to block the blows, Zell raised his arms to cover his head, but Seifer hit him directly in his exposed abdomen. Zell fell to his knees, nose bleeding and bruises on his face. Seifer took a step back and kicked him directly in his face, knocking him to the hard tile floor. A victimized and destroyed Zell lay bloodied and beaten on the ground at the hands of Seifer. The vicious, evil gunblade master spit on him and called him a few more derogatory names before he began to leave.  
  
As he walked off, proud of the heinous act he just inflicted upon Zell, the young man in point slowly tried to get back to his feet. Seifer heard some movement behind him and stopped in his tracks. Zell was now to his feet- -battered, bruised and dizzy, but standing up.  
  
"C-Come on, you jerk," Zell said, blood mixing in with his words to alter his voice. He spat a big glob of dark crimson out of his mouth in the direction of Seifer, then screamed. "I'm gonna fuckin' kill you!"  
  
"This bastard," Seifer thought to himself. "This motherfuckin' bastard!"  
  
The taller man unsheathed his gunblade, and unexpectedly dived at Zell. The hand-to-hand fighter wasn't as quick as he thought, however, and couldn't move fast enough to avoid it. The blunt end of the gunblade struck Zell directly in the top of the head, forcing him to crash hard to the ground. There was now a large gash on the top of his head that was oozing blood. Zell had been beaten horribly to the point where both his eyes were black and he was lying doubled over, his mouth and head emitting blood. Seifer got into his face once again, knowing that he was defenseless and couldn't talk back to him.  
  
"I suppose this is what they call a 'gay-bashing', right," Seifer laughed. "I told you, chicken-wuss. I told you that you weren't as tough as you thought. But did you listen to me? No. Now look where you are."  
  
Seifer got out of his face and proceeded to leave the Quad, but not before one final insult to the destroyed fighter.  
  
"Wait," he silently hissed. "Wait until later. I'll beat that fag 'friend' of yours up, then you'll both be lying up in infirmary beds. I plan on hurting Squall just as much as I hurt you. And you know what? I'm going to enjoy every second of it!" He spit on him again, gave him one final kick to the abdomen as an injury to insult, then left the Quad area to go fight Squall.  



	5. The Time Is Now

Revolver And Friend: The Time Is Now  
  
  
  
  
  
In the dorm section of the Garden, Squall sat cross-legged in his bed reading a book on Guardian Forces and summoning. The book really wasn't that interesting to him, but it was required reading because a book report had to be turned in about GFs. He could pick any one he wanted, and he chose the easiest one to write about, simply because he didn't really want the hassle of doing the project. As he read...  
  
"Carbuncle," he said aloud as he read. "Silent, magical creature of the forest. This GF has a mysterious protective power that enables reflection of magics back to the caster." Squall put the book down, rubbed his eyes and looked at the rays of sunlight pouring through the thin green curtains.  
  
"It's so nice outside. Why am I even cooped up in here reading this crap in the first place?"  
  
Squall sighed, picked up the book and began to read again. As he was about to, however, his alarm clock went off. He jumped, having been adjusted to the quiet and tranquility of his room. He walked over to his desk and flipped the tiny switch in the back of the clock.  
  
"God," he said, looking down at the floor. "I guess this is it. The time is now, as the optimists say." The young man begrudgingly took his black jacket off the back of his work desk chair, put it on, took his chipped Revolver out of its confines and left the room to go fight Seifer.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Squall had just exited his room when two excited girls whirled past him. They almost collided with him and knocked him down onto the ground, but he maintained his balance.  
  
"Hey," he yelled at them. "What was that?"  
  
The girls turned around, standing side by side, obviously not concerned with him whatsoever. The girl on the left was short, had a brown ponytail and wore thick-lens glasses. It only accentuated her freckles and her braces, which combined made her look like the brainy, geek-type student. The other girl however was blinding with her completely yellow clothing. She wore tight, yellow shorts and an equally tight sleeveless yellow shirt that showed off her built physical form. Her light-brown hair was arched down and curled up on both sides of her head, making it look like she was wearing a wig. Her smile was wide as she stood there with her counterpart, looking in a rush to get out of there. Squall immediately noticed that this girl was different- -that she was some sort of a fighter or something. But when she opened her mouth to speak, he began to think his judgments about her were a little...premature.  
  
"Heeeeey," said the girl on the right to her friend. "We're gonna miss it! You know, that thing!" She started to hop up and down repeatedly, like she was a rabbit. "Come on, Marie! Let's gooo!"  
  
The girl named Marie turned to her friend and replied. "Wait a minute, Selphie! Don't you know who this is?"  
  
"No," the girl said, scratching the back of her head. "Is he someone really, really important and stuff?"  
  
"Uh...Selphie. This is the guy that's going to fight Seifer. It's Squall Leonhart," she said calmly.  
  
Selphie looked at Squall, then turned her head to Marie. Then back to Squall, then Marie, then back to Squall when she put it together. "Oh! So this the guy you think is 'sexy'?"  
  
Marie had a look of shock on her face, and Squall hung his head in frustration to the floor.  
  
"Goodness, this girl doesn't have all her gears in check," the young man thought about saying aloud, but didn't. He looked up and walked right past the two girls, but not before Selphie stopped him from leaving.  
  
"Hey, Mr. Squall," she yelled really loud, even though he was practically four feet from her. Squall covered his ears in pain and turned around.  
  
"What? What do you want from me," he yelled, apparently frustrated.  
  
Selphie stood there quietly and blinked. "...You made me forget! I'll never forgive you!"  
  
Marie and Squall simultaneously slapped their foreheads in frustration. Finally, Marie jump-started the dialogue again.  
  
"Squall, it's gotten really busy in the Quad! We were just headed there, right after we received word that someone was horribly assaulted there!"  
  
Squall's attention was caught now. "Who was it," he asked curiously.  
  
Marie replied, a look of sadness in her eyes. "...Zell. Zell Dincht was beaten badly in the Quad."  
  
Squall gasped aloud in horror- -the man he loved was horribly battered by an unknown assailant. Narrowing his eyes, he paid the girls no heed after that and ran off to the Quad to check on Zell's status. The girls looked at each other, then ran after the worried swordsman.  
  
"Wa-------it," Selphie yelled as both she and Marie made haste after him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As the wielder of the Revolver quickly noticed as he neared the back of the Quad, the stage had been taken down. It had been replaced by a large group of Garden students looking forward to the fight between both Squall and Seifer. The place was abuzz with voices and shouting, and the anticipation for the upcoming battle filled the air heavily. As Squall entered, a large cheer erupted from the anticipating and impatient crowd of spectators.  
  
"Hey," a voice came from somewhere in the audience. "It's Squall! Squall's here!"  
  
"It is," a girl somewhere said. "Squall! Kick Seifer's ass for what he did to Zell!"  
  
Squall's eyes widened, then narrowed in anger and frustration. Had Seifer really committed his heinous act against his object of desire? Was that callous brute of a man named Seifer Almasy the one responsible for the pain the martial-arts fighter was forced to endure? His answer came with the voice of someone he recognized. A plump woman in a long white coat kneeled over a crumpled form on the other side of the room.  
  
"Squall! You're here," Dr. Kadowaki yelled at him. "Come over here...this is horrible!"  
  
Squall, without hesitation, obeyed her commands and ran over to see the results of Seifer's actions. On the ground, a beaten, bruised and blue Zell lie crumpled on the floor. Dried-up blood stuck to his upper lip, his eyes were black and swollen shut, and fresh blood was dripping out of his mouth. But was most noticeable was the large gash on the top of his head- -the large, gaping gash that could've only been caused by blunt trauma of a specific weapon. And almost immediately, Squall knew what that weapon was.  
  
"...That...that lowlife scum," he said, a tinge of rage and pain in his voice. "How could he have done this? He's a monster."  
  
"I know, Squall...I know," was all the concerned doctor could say to comfort him.  
  
"Will he be okay, Doctor," he tentatively asked her. Then he put his hands on her shoulders and shook her, repeating the question louder. "Will he be okay?!"  
  
Dr. Kadowaki shoved his arms off of her and replied. "I don't know, Squall! I...I don't know. He's shifting in and out of consciousness right now. I've even gone so far as to use Curaga magic on him, but it's not effective."  
  
"So," Squall countered loudly, almost screaming. "Can't you do anything for him? Is this it?"  
  
Dr. Kadowaki filled him in on Zell's injuries- -most importantly the one on the top of his head. "That blunt force could've killed him if Seifer hit any harder. I don't know whether if..."  
  
Squall noticed that she trailed off. "..If? If what? What's 'if'?"  
  
The doctor couldn't look the young man in the eye as she gave her own personal prognosis based on what she had seen so far. She said it almost inaudibly. "Squall...Zell could...he could die."  
  
Squall blew up now. "WHAT," he yelled. His voice got the entire attention of the crowd waiting for the fight. They all stared at him as he let all of his emotions go and throw a yelling fit. Dr. Kadowaki, the people of the audience...none of them had ever seen Squall Leonhart so enraged in their lives.  
  
"Motherfucker! That piece-of-shit, son-of-a-bitch, no-good motherfucker! God, I HATE him! Good God! I'm gonna kill him!," he screamed, lowering himself to the floor in pain. After the voices in the crowd died down, and Squall's coursing tapered off, the only sounds in the Quad were the ones of the black-clad fighter weeping. Weeping because his the only person he ever loved was on the verge of death. Suddenly, the sound of clapping could be heard coming from someone. As Squall looked up, tears streaming down his face and his gunblade still in hand, he saw a tall figure coming down the steps. The man grinning widely and looking as menacing as usual, he clapped as he approached the wide open space where everyone was at.  
  
"Great! Fantastic! What a grand performance," Seifer Almasy said, callously laughing and clapping. "Squall, you should've been a drama major, my dear friend! You've got the acting talent of ten men! Heh-heh-heh..."  
  
Squall could only grind his teeth and glare at him, his mind ridden with evil thoughts. The evil thoughts of what he might do if he ever got a hold of his arch-nemesis. Seifer stopped in his tracks about six feet away from him. With gunblade tapping on his left shoulder, he launched into one of his scathing diatribes he was well-known for.  
  
"My dear Squall....my dear, queer, homosexual Squall," he blatantly announced. The crowd reacted with surprise, and everyone began to talk amongst themselves about this new revelation. Squall had just been outed by his soulless, uncaring foe. But the tirade didn't end there.  
  
"Yes, that's right people. Squall is nothing more than a mere pirate! But he's not the kind that's interested in the worthwhile 'booty', if you know what I mean..."  
  
"Shut up, " Squall said, just loud enough for Seifer to hear it.  
  
"Oh, what," the tall blonde asked him. "Why? You're not ashamed of who you are, right? What' s all this crap about gay pride, huh Squall?"  
  
"Shut up, Seifer," Squall calmly said, his emotions in check for the moment.  
  
Seifer knew he hit a sensitive nerve. He continued on with a smile, determined to mentally destroy his enemy. "Come now, Squall! Don't you want everyone to know about just who the 'real you' is? I'm sorry it had to come to this, what with me beating the living shit out of your 'friend' and all. But if it's any consolation, at least you don't have to shoulder the pain of coming out yourself! I did it for you!"  
  
"..."  
  
"We're friends...right Squall," Seifer asked with a wicked grin.  
  
"Shut up, shut up, shut up," Squall yelled, throwing down his gunblade and lunging at Seifer.  
  
Seifer hadn't seen this bit of action coming. Squall Leonhart landed a hard fist to the taller man's chin, knocking him off balance. The crowd burst out in exhilaration and yells as the fist fight, of all things, got underway. Squall hit Seifer again in the jaw, knocking the man to his knees. The Revolver's wielder had pure adrenaline and hatred flowing through his veins, the likes of which had never been seen on him- -and Seifer knew this. Squall gave the taller man a devastating kick to the abdomen, making him cry out in pain. He then followed that up with a tackle, pinning Seifer to the ground underneath him. The crowd was energized, everyone yelling for either one or the other warriors to beat the other senseless. The scene had deteriorated into a coliseum-type scenario, with the bloodthirsty fans wanting more and more violence and blood. Squall wailed away on the prone Seifer as he demanded that he apologize for what he did to Zell.  
  
"Bastard," Squall yelled. "I hate you! Apologize, now!"  
  
Another blow struck the pinned man's face, but there was no apology coming. "Ha-ha-ha...me, apologize? You're even more dumber than I thought," he countered, surprisingly calm and collected.  
  
Squall hit him hard again, this time busting open his lip. Seifer finally got free of the pin by giving his opponent a hard knee to the abdomen. Squall winced in pain and fell back, allowing him to stand and attack. Seifer Almasy struck a blow by hitting him directly in the eye with his fist. Squall was knocked back a few feet on his back, and he saw his nemesis approaching. Squall tried to roll out of the way, but Seifer saw it coming and stepped right on his ankle before he could move away. Squall let out a sickening yell as his foe increased the pressure.  
  
"Aa...aaAAHHHH," he yelled. Seifer stood over him, laughing and mocking him as he cried out.  
  
"What's wrong, Squally-boy," he inquired with no remorse, his hands on his hips. "What's the matter, eh? No pain, no gain...as they say." Seifer applied even more pressure and made him cry out further. "Come on now, Squall," the cruel man said. "That can't hurt as much as it seems! Here, let me take~~"  
  
Squall interrupted by using his other foot to kick the leg of his opponent that held him down. With three well-placed kicks, the man came stumbling down onto him, freeing the brown-haired youth from the pain. Squall wriggled out from under Seifer, stood up and repeatedly stomped his chest before he could get up off the floor. With every stomp of his foot crashing down onto Seifer's exposed sternum, his convictions became that much more clear. Squall wanted to kill him. The crowd was now deafening as they saw the smaller, weaker man take control of the situation again.  
  
"Kick his ass, Squall," a female's voice came from the back of the crowd. "I'm with you!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," another voice said. "Beat him down! You can do it!"  
  
"Go Squall," a familiar voice came from the front of the crowd. It was Marie, along with Selphie. "I'm with you, Squall! Don't let that scum hurt anyone else!" Selphie provided support by hopping up and down enthusiastically, not saying anything and smiling.  
  
"Yeah, I'll do worse than that," Squall fleetingly thought in the back of his mind. But her paid the crowd no mind as continued to stomp away at Seifer. Squall gave him a few more foots to the chest, then quickly backed away to pick up his discarded Revolver from off the floor. Seifer was clutching his chest in pain as Squall charged at his laid-out body with the sword.  
  
"Die, die, die," Squall yelled at him. "I hate you! Die!"  
  
Seifer saw his opponent coming at him, widened his eyes and rolled away before the sharp, serrated tip of the Revolver came crashing down to the stone floor with force. Small chunks of rock flew into the air, indicating that there an ungodly amount of strength behind that swing. The crowd simultaneously gasped in shock as Squall picked up his blade off the ground and charged at him again. Seifer caught onto his little tactic and whipped out Hyperion, his gunblade. He deflected the sword swing and countered with a few quick jabs to the midsection, which Squall narrowly avoided. The crowd was exhilarated and yelling again, but neither of the two combatants seemed to notice or care.  
  
"So," Seifer said cockily. "Squall's got a brass pair after all!"  
  
"Shut up and fight," was his only counter.  
  
Seifer backed up, giving him room between himself and Squall. He put his left hand behind his back and held his sword out in front of him, keeping the conversation going as he prepared for a special attack.  
  
"Whatever will you do, Squall," Seifer said to him, desperation in his voice. "You know you're gonna lose! You got a few good kicks in though. Why not just throw in the towel and concede that I am the better swordsman, eh?"  
  
"Never." Squall yelled back, holding his sword in front of him with both hands. "You'll never be better than I am!"  
  
"Is that so? Well, let's see about that!"  
  
Unbeknownst to Squall, Seifer hand gathered a fire spell in his hands and was preparing to hurtle the flame at him. Suddenly, Marie yelled out from the audience that she saw it coming.  
  
"Squall, Squall," she yelled. "It's a fire spell! Look out~~"  
  
"Too late," Seifer interrupted.  
  
He threw a special flame directly into Squall's face, temporarily blinding the lad with intense heat. He dropped his sword and rubbed his eyes to ease the pain, but the tall, intense warrior wasn't done yet. Charging up his gunblade, Seifer prepared to strike the final blow to his stunned opponent while he still could. Hyperion shook violently behind him as it glowed a bright green color, signaling that it was fully charged up.  
  
"This is it, Squall! This is the final farewell," Seifer shouted out. "Prepare yourself for the great beyond!"  
  
"No," Marie yelled. "No, no no! Squall, look out! Please!"  
  
"Take this, my unwitting foe," Seifer said in a low voice.  
  
He swung the Hyperion, releasing a large green energy disk that seemed to target the blinded Squall. The flying serrated disk flew in the air, screeching along toward its victim. Squall couldn't see or move- -he was about to be Seifer's next victim...  
  
"No, it can't be," Marie said. "No! Not like this!"  
  
"Oh my God," Dr. Kadowaki said, tending to Zell and watching the fight. "Zell, this is..."  
  
Miraculously, Squall dived out of the way. The disk went screeching past him and outside into the open skies. Squall, kneeling on the ground in front of an exhausted Seifer, stood up silently, held his gunblade up in front of his face and opened his eyes. The Revolver shook violently as he prepared a counter to Seifer's special attack. Seifer Almasy couldn't believe he had missed. With widened eyes, gaping mouth, and a sweaty brow, he could only stand there tired and worn out as it all came to an end.  
  
"N-no...it can't...be this way," Seifer said, breathing heavily in anticipation of his defeat.  
  
"Now it ends," was all Squall said.  
  
With Revolver emitting beams of white light, Squall rushed up to Seifer at inhuman speeds and began striking him with the dull end of his gunblade repeatedly. Seifer tried to counter, but was too tired. Seifer couldn't even pinpoint where his enemy was, because he kept on moving around at speeds that he couldn't detect. After the eighth blow, Squall appeared in front of a busted and bruised Seifer.  
  
"Pay the price," was all he said.  
  
Charging at him once again, Squall dragged his gunblade across the rock floor. Making an upward cut, he jumped high into the air, bombarding Seifer with pure energy. Squall landed gently on his knee from a back-flip in midair, and watched his enemy fall to the ground. He had successfully knocked out Seifer Almasy.  
  
The crowd burst out in screams of joy and laughter as they surrounded the prevailing warrior and congratulated him on his victory. The few who wanted Seifer to win lagged behind in the corners, watching Fujin and Raijin secretly carry the beaten fighter out of the Quad. But no one cared about them. All that was important now was that Squall Leonhart won and got his revenge.  
  
"You won, you won," Marie joyfully said, looking up at a glazed-over and wobbly Squall. "You're amazing! I've never seen you fight like that! Great!"  
  
"Yeah," added a bouncy Selphie. "That was SO cool and stuff! Hee-hee!"  
  
Squall just stood there, not saying anything as he ignored them. His attention wasn't on them or the crowd. All of the voices seemed to drown out as his eyes and thoughts focused on one sole figure standing outside of the mob. A beaten and bruised martial-artist was on his feet, standing and waving ecstatically. The Curaga spells had finally taken some effect on Zell Dincht, the victim of a horrible gay-bashing.  
  
"S-Squall...you...did it," Zell managed to say, holding his ribs. "I'm...proud of you."  
  
Squall said nothing as he pushed his way out through the crowd. All noise was drowned out as both of them locked eyes onto each other. To them, they were the only ones who existed- -the only ones in the entire world. Nobody else mattered. They finally realized that the other one loved him from the bottom of his heart. Squall stood directly in front of the shorter, stronger fighter- -their eyes locked onto each other as silence enveloped them.  
  
"Squall...I~~"  
  
"Shh," Squall said as he held his finger to his lips.  
  
The young blonde could do nothing but gaze into the mans eyes that he loved so much. Without hesitation, Squall closed in, pressing his lips to Zell's as the sound flooded back in. The crowd was joyous as the two stood there, lips locked onto each other. This truly was a celebration to remember- -the declaration of love between Squall Leonhart and Zell Dincht.  



	6. Cruelties...

Revolver And Friend: Cruelties...  
  
  
  
  
  
The two warriors made their way slowly to the Infirmary with the kind Dr. Kadowaki's help, where they could both be examined for injuries. Zell already knew that he would receive a horrible prognosis, but Squall did not know what kind of damage he took from Seifer's attacks. His left ankle felt like it was put through the fires of Hell, but he knew that the training for the Fire Cavern had to be finished today, so there was no excuse he could make up to avoid it. Even if it meant going with a hurt ankle...he would struggle on. In the doctor's office...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"That was so great," Zell said ecstatically to Squall, who was sitting on the checkup bed with him. "I couldn't see anything, but I heard you really whooped ass out there!"  
  
"Yeah...I guess so," Squall replied wanly, massaging his hurt ankle.  
  
"What's wrong? You just beat the living hell out of your archenemy! I thought you'd at least be a little happy."  
  
"It's not that," Squall said seriously, looking into the warrior's bruised eyes. He stopped comforting himself and put his hands on Zell's shoulders, speaking to him. "Listen...Zell. About what happened back there..."  
  
Zell looked at him, knowing what was coming. His eyes watering, he was on the verge of crying his sky-blue eyes out. "Squall, it's...it's okay," he sniffed. "I know it was because you were worried about me. But if you don't want to be my...my..." He couldn't finish his sentence.  
  
Squall detected the young man's sadness and reassured him. "Zell, listen to me! It's not that. If you must know, I'm not afraid of what or who I am now." The blonde looked into his companion's eyes, feeling refreshed that he wasn't going to be rejected. Squall took his hands off of him and continued. "I know that I'm gay, and I know that I'm in love with you."  
  
Zell was a little tense, but his eyes weren't full of sadness like a few moments earlier. "...So...what do you want to do?"  
  
Squall sighed. "I definitely can't run away from it anymore, that's for sure. But..."  
  
"But what," Zell carefully said. The last thing he wanted to hear right now was that the man he loved didn't want to be in a relationship with him- -his greatest fear was that of rejection. "We can give it time, if you want."  
  
Squall looked at him in a funny way. "Time? What are you talking about?"  
  
Zell had a confused look on his face. "What do you mean...I thought you were talking about our relationship."  
  
"Oh, that. That' s fine, if you want to." Squall wondered what Zell thought he was talking about. "What did you think I was talking about?"  
  
"The relationship!"  
  
"Yeah. I don't have any problems with that. I was referring to you."  
  
"To me? Why me," he asked.  
  
"You're not out, remember? What I was going to say is that since I'm out and you're not, maybe we could keep the relationship to a minimum."  
  
"Oh, was all Zell said at that. "Psh, that's okay. As long as you're there, it'll be fine."  
  
Squall smiled, and Zell gave him a big hug, indicating that everything was fine in their new 'relationship'. Zell immediately pulled back, holding his lower back and moaning out in pain.  
  
"Ohhhh, Dr. Kadowaki! The cream! I need it!"  
  
Squall laughed out loud at him as the doctor got up from her desk with a large jar of blue cream. "My, you are a big baby, aren't you?"  
  
"Shut up," the blonde fighter retorted jokingly.  
  
The plump female physician came over, took off his black T-shirt and rubbed some muscle relaxer cream on Zell's lower back. Squall got up to leave the room, getting ready to prepare to head to the Fire Cavern with Quistis.  
  
"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Zell said, moaning in pleasure that the pain was fading.  
  
Squall, in front of the already open door, turned around. "What is it?"  
  
"Umm...don't go hitting on Quistis or anything. Ohh, that feels so good!"  
  
Squall cocked an eyebrow and rolled his eyes. "Whatever," both men said in unison. The dark-clad fighter shook his fist jokingly and said, "I'll make you pay for that when I get back!"  
  
"Mmm-hmm, yeah sure tough guy! Oh man---! Lower, lower!"  
  
Squall just shook his head, laughed, and left the infirmary. Zell lied down on his stomach on the checkup bed, letting the kindly doctor slather another heap of relaxer on his tight. muscular back. Dr. Kadowaki chimed in with some conversation of her own.  
  
"You know Zell, you could've told him that I knew about you too."  
  
"Ohhh, that feels fantastic," he said as she rubbed the medicine into him. "Yeah, I know. But Squall thinks that he's the only one who knows. Besides, I want it to be special for him."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Sorry doc. Could you keep quiet about it for a while. At least until things settle down?"  
  
"Of course, Zell. I wouldn't do anything like that."  
  
"Thanks a lot."  
  
A long silence enveloped the room. Dr. Kadowaki stood over Zell Dincht, rubbing the thick blue cream into his aching back. Zell's arms were hanging slack on each side of the small bed, and he could almost fall asleep in this fashion- -laying directly under the warmth of the radiating sun while his injuries got nursed to.  
  
"Yes, except for 'him'," the doctor said, interrupting the silence. "Except for me, 'he' also knew."  
  
"Ohh, a little higher," he asked, making the woman slide her hands up to his upper back. "Thank you so much for not saying his name, doc. Just hearing it would probably make me fly off the handle."  
  
"I know exactly what you mean," she said, looking out the window into the skies. The doctor massaged him, continuing her conversation with the youth. "That man has always been troubled. He came into my office far too many times, sporting hideous injuries that you'd never see a regular Garden student with. I knew he liked to fight, but I just never knew how much he enjoyed it. It's almost as if...as if he needs the competition."  
  
"Yeah. Seifer's always been like that. Always an asshole, but competitive."  
  
"...Zell."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"...There's something you need to know."  
  
Zell craned his head up from the window, looking the doctor directly in the face. Whatever it was had her worried. "Yeah," he said. "What is it?"  
  
"It's about Seifer. It's something I think you should know."  
  
Zell returned his gaze to the open window. "...I see."  
  
"Oh. Well it's all right if you don't want to hear it. But I think it's pretty perplexing, considering everything that happened to you and all."  
  
"Why? Is Seifer nearly killing me that much of a surprise?"  
  
The female doctor remained silent for a minute, then Zell calmly retracted his statement. "Err, sorry doc. I guess it is a surprise."  
  
Dr. Kadowaki removed her hands from his aching back and returned the tube of cream to a nearby drawer. Sitting down at her desk, she said something that hit Zell completely off-guard. "Zell, Seifer is gay too."  
  
The young man nearly fell off of the checkup bed at what he just heard. Turning over quickly and sitting up, Zell's mouth was agape. "W-What? He is?"  
  
"...Yes."  
  
"H-How do you know that? He can't be! Is he?"  
  
"...Yes," she replied again.  
  
"Damn! Then why'd he beat me up? He even called it a gay-bashing!" Zell shook his arm in rage at this latest tidbit of hypocrisy and lunacy. "This is stupid!"  
  
"Please Zell. Just listen to my story."  
  
"Your story," he inquired, now quite interested at this revelation.  
  
"Yes. It's about the day that Seifer came into my office...and told me."  
  
"..."  
  
"Please Zell. I won't force you to, but you could gain some insight as to what he was thinking when he did this to you."  
  
"...Fine. This should be interesting," he dreadfully said.  
  
Dr. Kadowaki took her glasses off and set them on her desk, rubbing the bridge of her nose in nervousness as she began to tell her story. "Let's see, where should I start..."  
  
"I don't care. Wherever you want," Zell said.  
  
"Well, all right. I think it was about...five months ago. Yes, that sounds about correct. Five months ago..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In the Infirmary office, Dr. Kadowaki was making some more Remedy and Antidote for stock purposes. It was raining hard outside, and the winds were rattling the sole window against its frame. As she sat there at her desk, mixing various elements to create more medicine, she heard a loud thump against the steel automatic sliding door. A moment later, it opened. In stumbled a badly hurt Seifer Almasy, bleeding from the head and stomach. The busy doctor put down her supplies, got up from her desk and assisted to help the blonde to the small checkup bench.  
  
"God, it...it hurts so much," Seifer barely managed to say, holding the right side of his abdomen. The same side of his long tan trench coat was stained crimson with blood. "Those people...I hate 'em!"  
  
"Calm down, Seifer," the doctor told him sternly. Open up your vest so I can see the wound."  
  
Seifer reluctantly obeyed her orders and opened up his dyed-blue chamois protective vest. Dr. Kadowaki was horrified to see a large gaping wound with blood running out going up the side of his stomach. This wasn't a wound caused by a monster though, as she quickly observed. Whatever had done this damage was caused by a weapon of some sort. She looked into his eyes as tears streamed down his face.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I...I don't~~"  
  
"What happened," she repeated, applying some gauze to the wound. "This is a serious wound! I'm going to have to document it onto my prognosis report!"  
  
The lump in Seifer's throat moved up, and he looked away from her. Whatever happened to the tall, rough Seifer now had him scared and nervous. "It's because...of them."  
  
"Because of who? Who did this to you, Seifer?"  
  
"People. In Balamb. They stabbed me!"  
  
"...All right. Let me get some Hi-Potion."  
  
"T-Thanks," he said.  
  
The doctor walked over to the shelf above the work desk and pulled out a small vial containing green liquid. She gave it to the wounded man and told him to drink it quickly. Seifer obeyed her and gulped the whole concoction down in one gulp. As he did, the pain increased, causing him to clutch his wound again.  
  
"Aaggh, God! It hurts, it hurts," he yelled.  
  
"It's fast-acting, so it's going to hurt for a while," she said to him. "The pain will dissipate in a few hours, so be patient."  
  
"I see, I see. Thanks, doctor," he said, being sincere.  
  
"..." Dr. Kadowaki didn't say anything to him as she returned to her desk to begin filling out a report for her new patient. She made no secret of the fact that she disliked Seifer Almasy, and that she preferred not dealing with him if it were possible at all. But her oath as a doctor and as a servant of medicine forbid her to reject anyone in dire pain or anyone needing immediate medical attention. So she tended to the wounded man like she would do anyone else- -with the utmost professionalism and courtesy. Seifer laid down on the small bench to try and ease the pain, but she scolded him for doing that.  
  
"You can't do that, " she said from her desk. "You have to remain in an upright position while the medicine is working.  
  
"Fine. Sorry," he replied, sitting back up.  
  
The woman went back to her work, continuing her report. Seifer sat there behind her, holding the gauze to his wound while listening to the clicking of the keys on her computer. Finally, he broke the long silence by asking her a question.  
  
"Doctor...would it...be okay if I asked you something?"  
  
She stopped typing and turned around to look him in the face. "What is it?"  
  
"Well, I know you don't like me very much. Hell, no one likes me."  
  
"..."  
  
"But," he continued. "Am I gonna die?"  
  
"No Seifer," she sighed. "You're not going to die. The wound isn't fatal, or else you would have bled to death already."  
  
"I see."  
  
Dr. Kadowaki resumed her work, but he kept on talking to her. He revealed something that shocked the woman.  
  
"Doctor," he calmly said, forcing back the pain he was feeling. "I...was beat up. Looking for sex."  
  
She stopped and turned around again. "What?"  
  
"I was...looking for sex. In Balamb."  
  
"...I see. Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"Well, just in case I...I die soon," he reiterated with more sincerity.  
  
"I already told you that you weren't going to die."  
  
"I...know. I didn't mean this wound."  
  
"Well, what do you mean," she asked him.  
  
Seifer paused for a second, the lump rising in his throat. "Doctor Kadowaki...I'm...I'm..."  
  
"...Yes?"  
  
"I'm...gay."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What? Are you serious," Zell exclaimed at the doctor who was crying now. "Seifer has the nerve to beat me up, but he's also gay?!"  
  
"Calm down Zell," she said to him. The young fighter was now on his feet shaking with rage. "I have a theory about the entire scenario."  
  
"I don't care about theories, he said, dismissing any possibility about explanations. "He's just a hypocrite! If he's gay like me, then why does he go around gay-bashing others like him?"  
  
The doctor got up and shook Zell, trying to calm him down. He eventually heeded her advice and sat back down. Besides, his chest was throbbing in pain so he had no choice.  
  
"Listen to me. I don't think Seifer hates you for being gay. That just wouldn't make sense."  
  
"Then why did he do it," Zell spoke powerfully to her. "Now that you say it, I would like to her this 'theory' of yours!"  
  
"Dr. Kadowaki sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Okay, okay. This may sound unbelievable now, but I think that Seifer doesn't hate you. If I'm correct, Seifer hates himself for being this way."  
  
"Oh yeah, you're right," he concluded sarcastically. "That DOES make a lot of sense!"  
  
"No, you don't understand. Surprisingly, Seifer is a religious man. So if you put two and two together, this conflicts with his beliefs. We had a long talk after his revelation, and I developed a bond with him in a that short amount of time. I think that he thinks that he's a sinner."  
  
"Hmm," was all he could comment on the situation after a brief pause.  
  
"So when I heard that he beat you up, and when I heard that it was because of that, I finally put it together. He hates himself for being gay, not you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Zell and the doctor sat there in an awkward silence for a minute or so, then he got up to leave. Dr. Kadowaki called out to him before he left though.  
  
"Zell."  
  
"He turned around. "Yeah, doc?"  
  
"I know this will be tough. But please...please don't hate Seifer for what he's done."  
  
Without hesitation, he replied. "Yeah, you're right. It will be tough." With that he left the office, leaving the kind doctor to ponder what had just happened. She could understand the sentiments that Seifer made on that day- -after all, if there was anyone in his situation, they may have reacted in the same way. But his was a tangled scenario, though. With all of the pain that he caused Squall Leonhart and Zell Dincht, she also understood their feelings as well.  
  
"Why does this have to happen to such young people," she solemnly thought, as she went back to her desk and worked on her reports.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A beaten and bruised Seifer Almasy sat in the empty cafeteria with Fujin and Raijin, wrapping his abdomen up in gauze. Amazingly, the wounds weren't life-threatening, but to be safe he was downing Potions by the bottle, one after another. Raijin spoke up in a deep and concerned voice to him.  
  
"Damn, man, I thought Squall was gonna kill you by what happened, ya know?"  
  
"Shut up," was his reply to him,  
  
"AMAZING," the gray-haired Fujin interjected, rubbing Seifer's throbbing chest. "SQUALL, AMAZING."  
  
"Yeah, so he is. But he just got in a couple of cheap shots, is all. He's not and never will be a better fighter than me."  
  
Just as the tall blonde put another vial of medicine to his lips, melodious chimes and an announcement came over the intercom system. The voice was that of Headmaster Cid Kramer, the man who ran Balamb Garden.  
  
"Seifer Almasy, report to my office immediately. I repeat...Seifer Almasy. Report to my office immediately. That is all.  
  
Looking up at the metal intercom on the ceiling, Seifer sneered and stood up. Following suit of their leader, Raijin and Fujin stood up as well.  
  
"I wonder what in the hell he wants," Seifer said in a gruff voice.  
  
"Probably another discipline notice, ya know," Raijin guessed. "Cid won't do anything to ya. Just maybe wants to talk to ya."  
  
"SEIFER, GO," inquired Fujin, asking if they could go with him. But he wanted to face this alone.   
  
"I'll be fine, Fujin. You two wait here. I'll be back." He walked over to the exit, then turned around. "Keep an eye on that chicken-wuss Zell! If he tries anything with you, I'll deal with him!"  
  
"Done deal, ya know," Raijin said.  
  
"CAREFUL," Fujin added.  
  
"..." Seifer said nothing as he left the large cafeteria, heading for the elevator that would take him to the Headmaster's office.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
On the third floor Seifer got off of the elevator, walking into a medium-sized lobby with wood and marble furnishings, combined with many displays of fine art on the walls. Behind a black oak desk sat a woman with a black ponytail, typing quickly behind a computer. Seifer walked up to the desk and told her that he was there for a meeting with the Headmaster.  
  
"Certainly," said Sheila, Cid's personal receptionist. "Cid told me you would be coming. Please, go right in."  
  
"Thank you," Seifer kindly replied as he passed her and opened the double doors to reveal a large office. Cid sat lounged back behind his mahogany desk, sipping a liquor of some sort as he waited for his meeting with Seifer. A member of faculty stood at each side of the desk, looking like cold and lifeless statues. Looking down from the ceiling, he saw Seifer and courteously welcomed him into his quarters.  
  
"Welcome, Seifer," Cid said in a concise, clear voice. "Please, sit down."  
  
"No thanks," he rejected, standing at the other side of the room in front of the doors and staring intently at the middle-aged man. "Tell me what this is about. I don't like surprises."  
  
Cid blinked at him, then adjusted his glasses. "Very well then. This will be brief anyway. What I wanted to speak to you about was the incident involving..." He picked up a sheet of paper off of his desk and read off of it. "Ah, yes. Involving you and a Zell Dincht."  
  
"What about it," Seifer replied very matter-of-factly.  
  
"From the report I received from Xu, you viciously pummeled him, injuring him near the point of death...is this true?"  
  
"..."  
  
"From your silence, I see that it is."  
  
"..."  
  
"Listen to me," Cid spoke up, his tone of voice becoming harsher. He was leaning forward in his chair up against his desk now. "As the Headmaster of this Garden, I will not accept this type of behavior from students. I have no recourse but to sufficiently administer fair punishment to you to make an example out of you."  
  
"Punishment, eh...gee, I guess it's time to sit in the corner," Seifer commented in a snide manner.  
  
"You misunderstand me, Seifer Almasy," Cid continued. "It's not just what happened today. I'm also punishing you for a string of deviant activity. From what I learned in your permanent files, Dr. Kadowaki wrote in that you have been engaging in illegal drug use, combined with a deviant activity that you gay people call 'cruising'..."  
  
Seifer's mouth dropped, his eyes widened. "Damn! That bitch actually wrote it in my permanent files," he thought.  
  
"Is there something you wish to say on your behalf, Mr. Almasy," Cid inquired.  
  
"Us gay people, you say? Are you calling gays deviant?"  
  
"What I am saying, Mr. Almasy, is that the gay lifestyle doesn't exactly fit in with the militaristic image of Balamb Garden. Combine this with your many other violations of Garden protocol and you have a recipe for disaster. Mr. Almasy, on your regular off times from training, you've been 'cruising' in Balamb. That is against the rules of discipline."  
  
"..." Seifer's teeth were grinding together, his blood boiling with rage.  
  
"There is another matter that I need to discuss with you, Mr. Almasy. Your most recent blood test. You took one a month ago, and there is something there that disturbs me."  
  
"Oh yeah? Is that so," Seifer said, amazed. "What's the matter, Mister snooty Headmaster man?"  
  
Getting straight to the point, Cid revealed what it was. "Mr. Almasy, you've been diagnosed as HIV-positive."  
  
Just then, the world itself seemed to stop. Seifer couldn't believe it. "W-What? You...can't be serious," he said, visibly scared that it was really the truth. "HIV....no, that can't be right! It just can't be!"  
  
Cid lowered his glasses so that he could look him in the eyes. "I am afraid that I have no choice but to expel you from Balamb Garden. You are a health risk to every student in my facility. If you were to remain here, you could contaminate the entire school."  
  
"What?! Are you joking," Seifer yelled. "Health risk? Contamination? You can't get fuckin' HIV from just touching someone! And I've never screwed ANYONE in this school! What in God's name are you smokin', for cryin' out loud?"  
  
"I admit, I'm not quite educated in sexually transmitted diseases," Cid said calmly. "Especially this one. But I cannot take any risks. Seifer Almasy, you will leave Balamb Garden permanently tomorrow morning. If you refuse to go willingly, faculty will escort you out, with or without physical motivation. You have the rest of the day to pack up your belongings and to say goodbye to your friends and fellow students. You are not to drink from the drinking fountains or eat anything in the cafeteria. Furthermore, you will be quarantined to your dorm until sunrise tomorrow. Someone will bring you a sack lunch for dinner tonight and for a going-away breakfast tomorrow morning. Am I clear on the situation?"  
  
"Motherfucker," was Seifer's reply. "You lowlife bastard! I'm not a contamination! I should come over there and beat some common sense into you!" Seifer walked with intent over to Cid's desk, turning over chairs in his way. The Garden faculty intercepted, however, and attempted to stop him. One of them had a stun gun, and applied a low voltage of Seifer's side. He shook violently, then went slack, allowing the faculty to capture him. Cid stood at his desk, barking out orders loudly.  
  
"Get him out of here," he yelled at him. "Get him out of here!"  
  
Both members of faculty took one arm of the shocked young man and dragged him out of Headmaster Cid Kramer's office. Seifer struggled to get free of his captors, but it worked to no avail. "You bastard," he yelled at the man wearing a purple V-necked sweater. "You bastard! Everyone will know about this! I'll make you pay!" Seifer, along with both members of faculty, exited the room. Cid sat back down in his chair, leaned back and took another sip of his liquor, concluding he had done the right thing.  



	7. Bittersweet Meeting

Revolver And Friend: Bittersweet Meeting  
  
  
  
  
  
The very next morning, an apprehensive and morose gunblade wielder was awakened by a loud banging on his dorm room door. Realizing what his time was now- -that his punishment would be fully carried out today, he got out of bed, got his belongings and exited the room, walking right past the faculty member sent to retrieve him without saying a word. In the dorm halls, he received little attention from other students heading to morning classes. In his mind, it was preferable that he get this over with quickly and without drawing too much attention to himself. The people, the atmosphere...it would all be a fading memory starting today. Seifer Almasy's day of reckoning was at hand. He was about to be expelled. He felt like a death-row inmate making the final stroll to this grisly execution- -that's how sad he was at being forced to leave the only home he knew.  
  
Walking through the Lobby, he spotted Squall Leonhart and Zell Dincht standing side by side, looking at the fish in the small fountain. They didn't see him, as they were talking very quietly so that no one else could hear them. But Seifer heard one sentence that struck a chord with him. Something that Squall didn't say low enough.  
  
"You've got a special birthday present coming to you today," he said with a big grin on his face.  
  
The man heading to his punishment stopped in his tracks and looked at him. Squall felt someone's presence and turned around, seeing his archenemy staring him right in the eye.  
  
"What do you want," Squall snapped at him. "Don't you have better things to do?"  
  
Zell turned around to see who he was talking to, seeing the man who viciously beat him to a pulp yesterday. His eyes instantly became filled with rage as he shook his fist at Seifer.  
  
"You! What in the hell do you want?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Nothing to say," Zell commented. "Figures. You always were a coward when it came to facing up to your actions."  
  
"Is Squall lying," Seifer asked the shorter fighter, with no indication of ill will in his voice.  
  
"W-What?"  
  
"About you. Is it your birthday?"  
  
"Why in the hell would you care," he muttered back at him, thinking his enemy would say something snide and harsh if he responded to his inquiry.  
  
"Is it or is it not you birthday?"  
  
"...Yeah. What do you care? I'm turning 18 today."  
  
Seifer just smiled at him. Walking up to Zell, he patted him on the shoulder lightly. "Happy birthday, man." Then he walked off, faculty member looming right behind him. Zell was shocked, along with Squall. Staring at him as he exited the lobby, they both stood there with mouths agape wondering why he was being so nice to them.  
  
"Uh...Squall?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What just happened here," the blonde martial artist questioned curiously.  
  
"You got me," was his reply.  
  
"Hmm," they both thought, looking at each other as they wondered why Seifer was acting so strangely today.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The man in point was standing at the in/out gates, inhaling the crisp, refined air that Balamb Garden held. He sat down on the pavement against a nearby wall, to the surprise of the lone member of faculty accompanying him, and pondered his life and his time he spent in the training facility. Looking down at him, the faculty member admonished him about being late for his doe punishment.  
  
"Student No. 1146, Seifer Almasy. You are to proceed to the main gates without delay," the man cloaked in brown garb said in an inhuman mechanical voice.  
  
"Can you just let me rest," Seifer asked him humbly.  
  
"That is not possible, rule-breaker," was the cold superior's response.  
  
"Come on, you can't let me break rules just this once," he asked again.  
  
"I am unable to do that. Please, proceed to the gates."  
  
"Come on, for me. This is my last time here, you know."  
  
"I am sorry, but I cannot~~"  
  
"Listen," Seifer said to him, in an unusual and kind manner. "I just want to stay here a little longer. Don't worry- -I'm not planning on avoiding expulsion or anything. I just want to stay here for a few minutes."  
  
"..."  
  
"Come on, you can bend the rules. Just a little."  
  
"...Very well," the man gave in. "But only for a few minutes. Then you will have to go."  
  
"That's fine," Seifer accepted. He tore his gaze from his warden and stared into the open skies, feeling the light wind blow across his face.  
  
"Damn, its so beautiful out here. You never know what you got 'till it's gone."  
  
"..."  
  
"The sky, the birds...it's all beautiful. Sort of like a natural beauty. You know, man?"  
  
"..."  
  
Seifer looked up at him. "You don't talk much, do you?"  
  
"I do not have an opinion on such matters," he replied.  
  
"You don't notice the beauty of nature?"  
  
"I have never noticed anything like that."  
  
"Oh, I understand."  
  
Seifer sighed, rose to his feet and walked up to the old gatekeeper behind the booth. The man was reading an old issue of Timber Maniacs when he look up.  
  
"Oh...it's that troublemaker," was all the man said, acknowledging Seifer.  
  
"Not anymore," he said back to him. "In a few minutes, I'm gone. Expelled, actually."  
  
"Expelled, huh," the old man wheezed. "Ha, after everything that you've done- -wrecking the gates and harassing me every other morning with you cohorts, I'm not sad to see you go!"  
  
"I'm sorry about everything. Will you forgive me?"  
  
"...! W-W-What?! You, saying you're sorry? Is the world coming to an end or something? Damn, must be the Apocalypse! Ha!"  
  
"I really am," the now sullen man reiterated sincerely, staring into his eyes. "Yeah, the world is coming to an end. For me, anyway."  
  
"Wha? What in tarnation do you mean, boy," the gatekeeper asked curiously. Seifer told him, staring down at the ground while he did.  
  
"I'm dying, sir," he said with respect, something that shocked both the faculty member behind him and the old man behind the counter. "I have HIV. I'm dying."  
  
"Wha...Y-You mean..."  
  
"Yes," Seifer said again, still staring at the ground. "It's over for me." After that, he walked off with his warden, leaving the old man dumbfounded. Something inside of him was changing immediately- -was he actually feeling sorry for the stricken young man?  
  
"Poor kid," the gatekeeper said, watching him walk off to the front entrance. "That...that poor young kid."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At the front entrance, Cid Kramer, along with Xu and a few members of faculty, awaited the arrival of Seifer Almasy in the early morning sun so that his punishment could be handed down to him. The guards were in place just in case the rule-breaker would try anything suspicious or violent. The punishment handed down would be an dishonorable dismissal, combined with a verbal admonishment upon leave. Seifer would be forever barred from returning to the only place he ever called home...the only place that he ever knew as 'home'. As he walked up to Cid, he looked coldly into the insensitive man's eyes- -as they were the only two who knew the real reason why Seifer was being removed from Balamb. Not because of the assault on Zell Dincht, but because of his illness...it made his blood boil to even look at the man.  
  
"Mr. Almasy, Cid said sharply, pacing back and forth. "Today is your judgment day! Today is the day when you set foot out in the real world and learn what living is all about!"  
  
"..." The tall, gloomy blonde could only stare darkly at him as he walked back and forth, his eyes never wandering anywhere else. Cid stopped directly in front of him, looking him in his forest green eyes.  
  
"You of all people must understand! I cannot allow you to stay here anymore!"  
  
"..."  
  
"Of course I would very much like you to remain, but you understand. It's common procedure."  
  
"Bullshit," Seifer said in his mind.  
  
"Hmm? Care to say a few words before punishment is handed down, Mr. Almasy?"  
  
"...Not really," he said without emotion. But he knew, though. He knew why he was being expelled. Cid had something against him. The disease was just a cover for his ploy. And he was told to his face that it wasn't what he did to Zell. What could it have been...?  
  
"Anyway," the man in the maroon sweater continued. "It is time. Xu, go ahead and give him his admonishment."  
  
The woman in the short navy blue skirt walked up, holding a sheet of paper. Her short brown locks hanging in front of her face, she could only look at Seifer as she prepared his final act of disgrace to be handed down. Reading aloud from the paper, Xu began.  
  
"Student No. 1146, Seifer Almasy. For the punishment of deviant activity unbecoming a SeeD trainee, and for the brutal attack on a fellow SeeD trainee, you are to be dishonorably dismissed from the care and sole guardianship that is Balamb Garden. Is this acceptable?"  
  
"Yeah, right," he said in his mind. "I'm being expelled because I'm a 'contamination', not because I beat up Zell."  
  
"Is this acceptable," the female lieutenant asked again."  
  
"No."  
  
"What," Cid interjected. "What do you mean 'no'?"  
  
"Like I said...it's not acceptable. Not to me, anyway."  
  
"How dare you," one of the faculty under Cid's command said. "Obey Garden protocol and follow rules!"  
  
"I won't," Seifer said firmly, not taking his eyes off of Cid. "I can't obey the rules of a corrupt institution like this."  
  
Cid and Xu were aghast at his response. "Who in the hell do you think you are," Cid snapped. "I am the Headmaster here! And I determine who stays and who goes!"  
  
"Yeah, so what," Seifer plainly commented. "I don't care if you're the President of Esthar. This is unacceptable, hands down. And you and I know the real reason I'm bein' kicked out of here."  
  
"Yes, you are being removed for violating protocol of Balamb Garden."  
  
"Bullshit," the swordsman countered. "You want me to tell everyone the real reason why I'm bein' kicked out?"  
  
Cid was shocked, but commanded Xu to continue. Being directly under his command, she obliged him. The Headmaster stared at Seifer as she continued her address, ignoring the man who was directly in front of her.  
  
"The person in point has declared it to be acceptable the reasons of his punishment," she said.  
  
"Like hell I have," Seifer yelled. The faculty behind him now held his hands in check, restraining his movement.  
  
"Ignore him! Continue! Continue," Cid commanded.  
  
"By the power invested in me, and by the authority of the Headmaster," Xu said. "I hereby declare No. 1146, Seifer Almasy to be~~"  
  
"No," the blonde yelled. "No! Don't you dare say it, Xu!"  
  
"Ignore him," Cid yelled, trying to drown him out. "Xu, finish!"  
  
"Noooo," Seifer yelled, trying to escape his restraint. He slowly made his way over near Cid, who backed off a little in response.  
  
"Restrain him, now," he barked to the other faculty, who obeyed his every command. With all three practically holding him back, Cid commanded a surprised Xu to continue.  
  
"By the power invested in me, and by the authority of the Headmaster, I hereby declare No. 1146, Seifer Almasy to be permanently expelled from the facility known as Balamb Garden."  
  
"Noooooo," Seifer moaned, as his judgement had been officially served. With a large amount of strength, he began to push his way over to Cid. The Headmaster commanded his loyal guards to take action now. One of the guards clutched a nightstick and swung it, striking Seifer in the head. Another hit him in the stomach, and yet another struck him in the back. Seifer slumped to the ground, unable to take this brutal beating at the Headmaster's command. Xu, who had been watching completely horrified at this scene, begged Cid to stop it.  
  
"I cannot do that," was all he said.  
  
"Headmaster, sir," she said with worry in her voice. "This is not the correct way to deal with~~"  
  
"Silence, woman," he snapped, interrupting her. "I am in charge, and I say this is the correct way to do things here!"  
  
"..." Xu looked down, not able to watch the horrible abuse of power going on in front of her eyes. Suddenly, someone shouted out from the distance, forcing the faculty to stop the beating and look for the person.  
  
"Who is it," Cid yelled, looking around. "Show yourselves this instant!"  
  
"..." Xu looked at Cid, her eyes welling up with tears at the man she thought she knew as a kind, considerate commander. In the distance, two figures came walking towards the group of administrators. Upon closer inspection, they all discovered that it was Zell Dincht and Squall Leonhart, the two who were involved in the fight with Seifer. Both young men came walking up, absorbing the entire scene. Both of them looking down to the ground, they saw a beaten and hurt Seifer Almasy laying before them, curled up and holding his stomach in pain. Stunned, Zell asked them what was going on here.  
  
"This is none of your concern," one of the members of faculty said mechanically, holding a nightstick with a smidgen of blood on the tip. "Go back to your studies."  
  
"No," Zell decided, not taking his eyes off of the beaten Seifer. "Now that I'm here, it's my business."  
  
Cid decided to butt in, telling both students to leave the scene. "Leave this instant," he commanded. "Or face possible consequences for disorderly conduct."  
  
Squall, who was beside Zell, willingly obliged and asked Zell to do the same. "Come on Zell, it's none of our business."  
  
"It is now," was his reply, still staring at Seifer.  
  
"Zell....come on. We need to get to class soon anyway."  
  
"Well, you can go then. I'd like to know what's going on here."  
  
"Geez," he gave in quickly, placing a hand on his hip. "Fine, have it your way."  
  
Ignoring the commands of the Headmaster and his subordinates, Zell walked over to the injured man and helped him to his feet. Draping one of his Seifer's arms over his shoulders, the combatant helped him to remain on his feet. Squall, Cid and the others looked on in silence as the two seemingly bitter enemies put aside their differences and concentrated on the injuries at hand.  
  
"C'mon," Zell said in whisper to him. "I'll help you to Dr. Kadowaki's."  
  
"T...Thanks...Zell," was all Seifer could offer.  
  
Both young men cautiously made their way to leave the front entrance of the Garden. Heading back to the interior of the facility, Zell was determined to get his enemy some much-needed medical attention from the injuries he received at the hands of the faculty. Passing a wide-eyed and astonished Squall Leonhart, and moving away from a silent group of administrators, the two would make their way to the Infirmary to see the doctor. Squall turned around after a brief pause to look at the group of people, shrugged, and left to follow his partner Zell.  



	8. So Naive

Revolver And Friend: So Naïve  
  
  
  
  
  
Seifer, wearing a thin crown of crimson on his brow after his beating at the hands of the faculty, made his way through the Garden Lobby with Zell's help. Squall trailed behind them suspiciously, ready at a moment's notice to jump into battle in case this was a trick of some sort. "What had he done to deserve this", Seifer thought, as he passed a few onlookers on his way to the Infirmary to receive medical attention. The people that both young men passed just stood there, looks of shock on their faces, as what seemed to be two bitter enemies threw away their hate for each other in exchange for their humanity.  
  
"Aah...what is Zell doing helping Seifer," a male student watching it all asked his friend.  
  
"I don't know...maybe he's trying to hit on him," the friend replied maliciously, loud enough for both Seifer and Zell to hear.  
  
"Shut up," they both hissed in unison, not even stopping to confront them, as they entered the Infirmary. The first youth chided his counterpart as he stood there in embarrassment.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The automatic steel door opened with a soft sliding sound as the kind doctor put vials of medicine on the shelf across the room. Dr. Kadowaki turned around suddenly to see two men she thought would never be caught near each other again enter. Seifer was clutching his abdomen, his arm draped around the shoulders of Zell who was holding him up.  
  
"Wha...Zell," she asked. "What's going on here?"  
  
"You have a new patient," Squall interrupted indifferently, not really caring about Seifer's condition. "Looks like someone got into a bit of trouble early this morning."  
  
Seifer sat down on the checkup bench, taking his arm off of Zell's shoulders. After that, the shorter blonde walked back over to the door to stand by Squall's side.  
  
"Yeah," the martial artist said. "He got beat up. By faculty."  
  
The female physician cocked an eyebrow. "Beat...up? By faculty?"  
  
"I guess," he continued. "Squall and I just got there after it happened. All we saw was Mr. Tough Guy over there on the ground, cowering like a baby."  
  
"Now I see," Dr. Kadowaki said. She turned around to Seifer to ask about the situation. Is this true?"  
  
"..." He looked away, embarrassed at being helped by the person he nearly killed yesterday.  
  
"Come on," the doctor repeated herself, this time in a firmer tone. "I need to know. If what Zell says is true, then what happened is illegal."  
  
"...Yeah," he said in a dismally, looking out the window.  
  
"I understand. Now let's see what I can do for you..."  
  
Dr. Kadowaki walked over to the shelf again to retrieve some medicine and bandages. The attack didn't look like it produced life-threatening wounds, so a couple of Potions combined with a Cure spell would do the trick. Tearing off the protective plastic covering, the doctor walked over and tried to apply the large bandage to Seifer.  
  
"Undo your vest," she said to him calmly.  
  
"..." He looked away from her and over to Squall and Zell as he stood up and took off his trench coat and blue vest and threw them across a nearby chair. The shorter blonde could do nothing but stare at him and his well-muscled body as Dr. Kadowaki placed a long strip of compress on his abdomen. Zell managed to maintain a look of indifference, acting as if he couldn't care either way of what happened to him. And in a way, after everything this man had done to him yesterday, he really didn't care about his situation in the least. But Zell couldn't help get a little aroused at the sight of his foe's body.  
  
"Aaggh," Seifer moaned, indicating that his bruises were still sensitive.  
  
"Oh hush, you big baby," the doctor retorted, preparing to place a bandage on his head, where a lot of the damage was inflicted.  
  
Squall stood in front of the doorway, his blood boiling at the sight of his enemy in front of him. He wanted to hurt him even more, but he wasn't the type to instigate fights. His new lover, however, was secretly enthralled at the physical features of this fine specimen.  
  
"There we go...that'll do for now," the doctor said as she stepped back.  
  
"Nothing too bad, I hope," Seifer said.  
  
"Nah. I've seen worse on you. You'll be fine."  
  
"Thanks, Doctor. You're a lifesaver."  
  
As he got ready to get up, Dr. Kadowaki pushed him back down. "Oh no you don't! You have to let the medicine settle. Stay put, young man!"  
  
"...All right."  
  
At that, Squall indicated that he had wanted to leave. Rolling his eyes at the entire scenario, he started to slip out, with his companion in tow. However, the one beaten up had called out another time...this time for Zell.  
  
"A...agh...hey Zell," Seifer moaned.  
  
The man in point whipped around, not too pleased to be held up by him. After all, he was going to see Squall off to class, then maybe go back to his dorm to catch up on due assignments. "What," Zell muttered.  
  
"Hey...man. I need to tell you something."  
  
"Oh yeah? What could that be?"  
  
Seifer lowered his head, gathering his will and thoughts. "Now is the time Almasy," he said to himself in his mind. "Come on, swallow your pride and be a man..."  
  
"What is it," Zell reiterated, this time with more force.  
  
"I...you know..."  
  
Zell knew exactly what he was trying to say. Almost instantaneously he had formed a calculated idea that would hopefully destroy his foe and force him to apologize. He'd be damned if he let such an opportunity like this go by without him taking full advantage of it. It would possibly add insult to injury, not to mention make him a little happy. Turning to Squall, Zell told him that he would see him after classes.  
  
"What? Wait a minute! I~~"  
  
"Come on, Squall," Zell begged. "This won't take long."  
  
"But...but, I~~"  
  
"I don't want you trying to beat him up or anything. And I think the least I deserve is a little apology." Turning back to a shamed Seifer, he continued. "I need to do this alone. You understand...right?"  
  
"..."  
  
"You fought for me. Now I must 'fight' for myself. Come on..."  
  
"I..." Squall soon gave in, figuring if this was the time to get some sort of retribution, it should be delivered now. "Aah, fine...do whatever you want."  
  
"Thanks, Squall," Zell said, grinning as he walked over and sat down on Seifer's left side on the small checkup bed. He peered out through the doorway as Squall exited.  
  
"Remember...after classes!"  
  
Squall turned around, nodding and catching a glimpse of him before the steel doors shut. Zell glanced at Seifer, then to Dr. Kadowaki, who had gone back to her desk.  
  
"Aah...Doctor," Zell said. "I'm sorry. You too. This is a little sudden and all..."  
  
The kind doctor nodded and smiled, saying nothing as she obliged his wishes. Getting up from her desk, she strutted over to the exit to give the men some time to talk alone. A moment later, the Infirmary was completely empty with the exception of Zell and a humiliated and shamed Seifer. Zell focused his eyes on him, his ice blue eyes glaring a hole through his head. The silence in the tiny room was thick and looming. The sound of a slight gust outside paired with the soft hum of the computer were the only noise accompanying this situation. After what seemed like forever, Seifer swallowed what was left of his pride and willed himself to address the obvious topic that warranted discussion.  
  
"Zell, man," the tall one said in a low tone, still staring at the floor. "I'm...you know how pathetic I am."  
  
"...Yeah. Maybe," was the only response.  
  
"So you do. That's why I acted like a jackass. Not to be mean to you or anything."  
  
"Where's your pride at, Seifer," Zell asked him, turning the topic of choice to him. "Hm? Where? You seem to be a little bitch-boy right now."  
  
"..." He could do nothing but look away from Zell. Just being near him made him feel like less of a person. Not because of what he did, but because of the sheer hypocrisy that was involved. "A gay man gay-bashing another gay man," Seifer thought to himself as Zell glared at him. He felt it on his left cheek- -his victim's eyes searing a hole through his skin, trying to penetrate directly to his very soul. And Seifer knew he deserved every ounce of guilt and punishment that he had coming to him. "This is my fate. This is my ultimate judgement," he thought to himself again.  
  
"Maybe you haven't learned your lesson," Zell continued, interrupting Seifer's train of thought. "Let me ask you a little question, Mr. Big Shot. Mr. I-Think-I-Should-Beat-Up-A-Gay-Gay-Even-Though-I-Am-Too."  
  
Seifer's eyes widened in pure shock. Even though he was looking away...even though his guilt was ripping him apart, this was too much. "God...how did he find out," Seifer frantically asked himself in his mind. "Fuck...I am a hypocrite. This is the end."  
  
"Nothing to say, eh? No apology, no 'kiss my ass' or anything?" Zell was getting desperate, but he knew that he had to remain strong in case Seifer would try to turn his weakness against him. His voice was faltering and wavering, and his eyes were welling up with tears. His life had taken a turn for better and for worse since he was outed so cruelly by the man before him. And to learn that the perpetrator himself was just like him? It was nearly too much to shoulder. But Zell was bent on putting the screws to him- -mentally and emotionally. This was the only way to get some ounce of payback for what happened. He got up and stood directly in front of Seifer. Finally, gaining enough courage to do so, Seifer managed to look into his victim's face. It was getting to him, because his eyes were watering as well.  
  
"So easy," the spiky-haired one said softly.  
  
"W-What," Seifer asked him, his voice faltering.  
  
"I said it would be so easy. To beat the living hell out of you right now," Zell hissed, his voice also faltering.  
  
"...I...I know," he replied softly, looking away from him again.  
  
"Look into my eyes."  
  
"W-W-What~~"  
  
"I SAID LOOK INTO MY EYES, DAMNIT," Zell suddenly boomed, causing Seifer to jerk his head up and oblige him without recourse. Both men knew that someone in the hallways should have heard that outburst, but no one came running in to check. Dr. Kadowaki had to have heard that, but still...no one entered the room. The silence was so widespread now that it was almost shrill. The wind outside picked up into a heavy gust- -almost as if it were replying to Zell's emotions directly. The hum of the machine in the corner seemed deafening to Seifer now. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Seifer said in his mind. "God, you don't how sorry I am. Fuck! Why can't I say it out loud...?"  
  
"Look at this," Zell said sternly, pointing to his eyes. They were a little discolored, as Seifer saw, even after all of the spells and treatment he must have underwent to reverse the damage. "This is what you did to me, you motherfucker! This!"  
  
"..." Seifer began to slowly turn his head away in humiliation, but that was not to happen now.  
  
"No! Don't you dare do that now," Zell hissed, his voice becoming twisted with the pure hatred coursing through his veins. "You lousy fuck."  
  
"Z-Zell, I~~"  
  
"Shut up," was Zell's response. His blue eyes drilling right into Seifer's, Zell didn't miss a beat. The tears building up in his eyes were beginning to retract as his strength and will built up. He bent his head down and parted his hair, exposing a nasty gash that formed from near his forehead to the back of his head.  
  
"Now look at this," Zell continued, his voice calming a little. "This is what gets me. I LIVED through this! Isn't it a miracle, Seifer?"  
  
"...Yes," he replied dully, his emotions completely killed off.  
  
Raising his head up, Zell asked what was wrong. "What's the problem, Seifer," he inquired calmly. "You seem a little down. Care to share with the group?"  
  
"Zell, listen~~"  
  
"No. I don't wanna hear it."  
  
"I was going to say~~"  
  
Zell surprised him by grabbing his vest with both hands and lifting him up off the bench and into the air. "What were you going to say," he asked him, looking up intently at him. Zell had gotten so strong that he could easily lift a man who weighed more than him into the air. Seifer immediately knew that this was a release of his inner energy- -his rage factor had boiled over. But he seemed so calm now that it didn't make sense.  
  
"Unless you plan on saying the two words I wanna hear, then you'd better plan on shutting those big, flapping lips of yours," Zell told him. "Now, do you have something to say?"  
  
"I'm...I'm..."  
  
"You're...you're," he said, mocking him. "A moron?"  
  
"Y-Yeah, but I'm~~"  
  
"An imbecile? A coward? A good-for-nothing motherfucker," he continued, now grinning. "Don't let me stop you, Seifer. Please...go on."  
  
Zell, man~~"  
  
"I'm not your man. Now spit it out, or else I WILL kick your ass!"  
  
"I'm sorry man," Seifer cried out, feeling threatened. "Damnit! I'm...I'm sorry!"  
  
Still holding him up by the vest, Zell stared directly into his eyes with his grin still on. Seifer wished so much that he could read his mind, because he hoped his fate wasn't what he had thought it would be. "God, what is he thinking," the dangling man thought to himself nervously. "He'll probably break me in half. I don't stand a chance against him if he decides to beat me to a pulp. Please God, have mercy on my soul..." Almost as if his prayers were heard, Zell let go of him, letting him fall back onto the small bench. Finally, he said something to Seifer that baffled him.  
  
"You're sexy," Zell said, knocking him off-balance.  
  
Seifer looked up at him, fear and shock drenched in his eyes at what he said.  
  
"W...What?"  
  
"You heard me. I think you're sexy," he repeated in a clear and calm voice. The anger and hatred inside of him seemed to have completely disappeared, and Seifer couldn't figure out for the life of him why it did just that.  
  
"...Huh," he said, looking up at him in a funny way.  
  
"Listen. Don't think I've forgiven you, because I haven't." Zell turned his back to him and began pacing around. Seifer couldn't take his eyes off of him as he did this, in part because he was afraid that this was a trick. Zell stopped, forming a wide grin on his face.  
  
"Ha-ha-ha," he laughed out loud. "I got it! I know how I'll make you pay!"  
  
"M-Make me...pay," Seifer stuttered.  
  
"Yeah. I'll get you good. Listen, your body and your face are entirely too good-looking to completely waste. So I won't do that to you. But..."  
  
Now the fear in Seifer's heart was coming back. He knew that whatever it was had to be completely diabolical...at least for him anyway. "What do you plan to do," he asked cautiously.  
  
"Where are you gonna be at after classes?"  
  
"Huh...?"  
  
"You heard me, dummy! Where will you be at after classes?"  
  
"Oh...in the cafeteria, maybe. But~~"  
  
"That's all I needed to know," Zell concluded, interrupting him. As he headed for the door, he turned around and offered the shocked Seifer one last bit of advice.  
  
"The cafeteria...you'll be there?"  
  
"Y-Yeah."  
  
"Good. Because if you're not..." Zell innocently shook a fist at him, which made his eyes widen. That was the fate he had wanted to avoid altogether.  
  
"I don't wanna have to," Zell said. "But I will if you don't obey me."  
  
"..All right. I...I can meet you. Just not that."  
  
"All right," Zell said as he left the room in a relatively good mood. Whatever he was planning on doing to him wouldn't benefit him. If it didn't involve getting beat up...then what would it involve? As. Dr. Kadowaki entered the room again, Seifer rubbed his face in nervousness at what his ultimate fate would be.  
  
"Damn," he said under his breath. "I'm fucked..."  



	9. The Day Hyperion Cried

Revolver And Friend: The Day Hyperion Cried  
  
Note: One of the longer chapters, but it's fine! Maybe too long for its own good, but we shall see!  
  
  
  
  
  
"Phone call for you, Mr. Kramer," the soothing voice of Sheila the receptionist came through on the desk intercom on Cid's desk in his office. "It's that one man again. Do you want it?"  
  
Cid, as usual, was lounging back in his leather swivel chair, not really doing much of anything that involved more than a lift of a finger. First Lieutenant Xu had been standing at his side, chatting with him when the call came. As soon as he heard 'it's that man' from her, he became somewhat nervous though.  
  
"A-Ah, yes...yes, Sheila," Cid nervously said. A small bead of sweat had already begun to form on his brow. He immediately started to ignore Xu and focus on the task at hand. "Patch him through. I'll talk."  
  
"Okay."  
  
The 'call waiting' light on his sleek black phone lit up immediately, and Cid fumbled to get the machine to his ear.  
  
"H...hello?"  
  
"CID," the familiar voice boomed. "I-HAVE-EVERYTHING-SET-UP-FOR-YOU. NEXT-WEEK-THE-SEED-CANDIDATES-MOVE-TO-DOLLET-FOR-ADVANCED-PHYSICAL-TRAINING."  
  
"Y-Yes sir. I understand sir."  
  
"NOW-THEN, CID," the loud, hoarse voice spoke up. "WHAT-IS-THIS?"  
  
"...What? W-What is what, sir," Cid asked, not sure of what the person was asking.  
  
"I-HEARD-THROUGH-A-SOURCE-THAT-YOU-HAVE-BEEN-ABUSING-YOUR-AUTHORITY. IS-CID-ABUSING-HIS-POWER?"  
  
"What do y-y-you mean, sir? I~~"  
  
"YOU-ARE-AN-IDIOT-AS-USUAL-CID. I-HEARD-THROUGH-A-SPECIAL-SOURCE-THAT-YOU-HAVE-BEEN-ABUSING-YOUR-POWER."  
  
"...?" Cid just looked at the phone like he didn't know what in the world he was talking about, while Xu stood stone-faced at his side, observing an oil painting on the wall. "...I'm not quite sure I understand you, sir."  
  
"DO-I-HAVE-TO-SPELL-IT-OUT-FOR-YOU-CID? I-HEARD-THROUGH-A-SOURCE-THAT-YOU-ABUSED-YOUR-POWER-AND-EXCERCISED-SEVERE-BEATING-TO-A-GARDEN-STUDENT."  
  
"..." Now Cid knew what he was talking about. But, he wondered...who could have told him about what happened to Seifer?  
  
"YOU-ARE-QUIET-CID. THIS-MEANS-YOU-ARE-A-FOOL-AND-A-LIAR."  
  
"..." He was petrified with fear, but couldn't find anything to say. Finally, he decided to try to lie his way out of the situation. "This source...this source must be lying."  
  
"YOU-ARE-THE-LIAR-CID," the voice immediately rebuked him. "HOW-STUPID-DOES-CID-THINK-I-AM?"  
  
"..."  
  
"I-SEE. BUT-I-HAVE-MANY-PEOPLE-WATCHING-YOU-ALL-THE-TIME. PEOPLE-THAT-ARE-CLOSE-ASSOCIATES-OF-YOURS-ARE-WATCHING-YOU-AND-REPORTING-TO-ME."  
  
Cid Kramer's mouth went agape at the very notion. People that worked with him...spies? He couldn't even begin to fathom how many people he divulged confidential information to were or could be spies for 'the boss'. Xu didn't see him but the Headmaster looked up at her, trying to wonder if she could be one of them. H shook his head at the thought and proceeded to talk to the man on the phone.  
  
"I'm sorry," the man admitted. "Yes, I have been abusing my power. But I have been nervous lately. It's this whole Dollet mission that's got me worried."  
  
"SEIFER-ALMASY," the voice simply said."  
  
"...U-Um...yes, about that..." Cid knew he was caught.  
  
"SQUALL-LEONHART."  
  
"...What?"  
  
"I-DON'T-CARE-CID. DID-YOU-KNOW-THERE-WAS-A-FIGHT-BETWEEN-THOSE-TWO YESTERDAY?"  
  
"...U-Um...no." He wasn't lying. He really didn't know there was an assault on Zell yesterday- -that's how out of the loop and bureaucratic the Headmaster was. But a situation like this...he should've known something about it.  
  
"LISTEN-TO-ME-CID. I-DO-NOT-CARE-ABOUT-GARDEN-STUDENTS. ALL-I-WANT-IS-MORE-AND-MORE-REVENUE. YOU-DO-NOT-HAVE-THE-POWER-TO-ADMINISTER-CORPORAL-PUNISHMENT."  
  
"U-Umm, I~~"  
  
"I-DON'T-CARE-CID," the voice reiterated, cutting the dumbfounded man off. "DON'T DEFY-ME-AGAIN-OR-I-WILL-CRUSH-YOU!"  
  
With that, the phone was slammed down with such force on the other end that even Xu head it partially at a few feet away. She was about to open her mouth to ask what it was all about, but Cid stopped her directly.  
  
"Oh," was all she said.  
  
He sighed, placing his bifocals on his desk and leaning his head against his fist. "Xu, if you be so kind as to leave..."  
  
"Hmm, but sir~~"  
  
"Please...just go. I've got plenty of thinking to do..."  
  
Xu begrudgingly agreed to go, but she was under him after all. As she strode on over to the door, Cid could do nothing but stare at her and wonder if she was one of the ones who was spying on him for 'that man'. It was unfortunate that he couldn't see her front as she was leaving, because the beautiful brunette had just put on a wide grin as she exited the office.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At last, the end of the school day. Freedom for all of those poor, dreadful Garden students who absolutely hated their instructors- -not to mention the exams handed out almost daily. Everything ranging from maximization of magic strength from junctioning spells to raw combining elements of weaponry- -you had to know it all to become a SeeD. Yes...virtually every student counted the minutes until the end of classes, constantly watching their online desk-clocks and sighing because time couldn't move fast enough to their own liking. At long last, the loud and mechanical beep over the public intercom sounded. At long last, the day was finally over. Everyone was happy about that.  
  
Everyone...except for one man.  
  
Seifer Almasy. It was time all right- -time for his world to come to an end.  
  
Showing almost no signs of life, the man made his way through the hallways to get to the cafeteria where he would meet with his victim of the previous day's assault. The very thought tore him up inside, because this time he didn't know what was coming. Zell had such an innocent, gleeful smile and demeanor in the Infirmary that it was relatively impossible to predict the outcome. On the main elevator, he began to think about the reasons why it had to come to this.  
  
"God, he thought. "Maybe he meant it to be this way. Maybe he's just fucking with my head. That would be the ultimate revenge, though."  
  
In the Garden Lobby, getting off of the elevator, he didn't see Fujin sneak up behind him. It brought a smile to his face when he laid eyes on her- -he was so gloomy that it felt like he was on his way to the executioner, never to see his friends again. Her kind smile, her silent but emphatic demeanor...these are the traits that Seifer loved to see so much.  
  
"SEIFER," she asked him happily. "WHERE?"  
  
"Aah, Fujin. Ya caught me at a bad time. What will I ever do with you, eh?"  
  
"BUSY? SEIFER, WITH ZELL."  
  
"Oh, yeah. That's where I was going. He pretty much commanded it. And I can't disobey him."  
  
"SEIFER, HIT, PUNCH," Fujin suggested to him, saying that he should fight him. She threw a few mock punches to the air to demonstrate that point, but the sullen man immediately rejected that idea.  
  
"Nope, sorry. No can do this time, Fujin."  
  
"OH. SEIFER, TROUBLE?"  
  
"Nah, I'll be just fine. But..." He wanted to level with her a little to explain his situation. But he just couldn't bear to bring the truth into the light. "Listen...Fujin..."  
  
"HMM?"  
  
"Fujin," he repeated seriously, looking directly into her eyes. "You and Raijin think I'm strong and that I can beat up anyone who gets in my way."  
  
The woman nodded in agreement, not thinking otherwise about it. But Seifer was trying to get her to understand.  
  
"No, Fujin...ya don't understand. Ya think I'm strong, but I'm not. I'm not strong."  
  
"WEAK," she asked him.  
  
"Yeah, very weak," he nodded in agreement, managing a small smile. "I'm not as big and powerful as people think I am. I just act that way because~~"  
  
"FUJIN KNOW," she said. She looked down, her eyes filled with sadness, like something she cherished had disappeared from her person. "FUJIN KNOW ALL."  
  
"What?"  
  
"YOU NOT WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE."  
  
"...Fujin, listen...you're right. To tell the truth, you have no idea how right you are."  
  
This young woman before him looked sullenly into his eyes as he continued. Her feelings didn't quite feel right as everything continued on its set course. Something, she knew, was off...  
  
"SEIFER," she asked curiously. "PROBLEM?"  
  
"Listen to me...please. This is tough for me. Hell, it's enough that I have to suffer like this today..."  
  
"...?"  
  
Seifer sighed. "Listen," he told her, looking up at the silver clock on the wall. "I have to go now. There's something important I have to do." He started to walk away from Fujin.  
  
"...Wa...it..."  
  
Seifer didn't hear her begin to speak. "Bye...Fujin. Just remember- -I'm not who you think I am. I'm sorry...sorry that I couldn't be more of a friend."  
  
"W...Wa-it...Se..if..er..."  
  
The man had heard that, however. Turning around slowly, he looked at her in a strange fashion. "...Fujin? Ya say something?"  
  
"Seifer...I..."  
  
"What...Fujin, your talking~~"  
  
"W-Wait, please," Fujin asked him. "I'm...feeling weird. But...please. Please don't shut me out. Let me speak."  
  
This came as a shock to Seifer. In the four years they had been friends, he had never in his life heard Fujin talk normally in complete sentences. Maybe she was really concerned about him, he thought. It was amazing that anyone genuinely would care about him, and Seifer thought that Fujin just wanted to be one of the gang- -he didn't think there were any feelings between them. What in the world was happening here?"  
  
"Fujin?"  
  
"Seifer...God, this is hard. Hard for me to say. That's why I'm talking like this- -because what I'm about to tell you is so important. But it can't wait, because if I end up waiting longer, I may never tell you at all."  
  
"...To tell me," he asked her. "I thought you wanted to ask me something."  
  
"I know Seifer," Fujin continued, not looking up. "I know about...you."  
  
"What are you talking about, Fujin?"  
  
"Please, don't hide it. It makes this harder for the both of us. I know about the 'real' you. Your secret life..."  
  
Seifer tried to understand what she was hinting at. When she raised her head, he looked into her eyes...only to find it written in the expression on her face. Pulling back in sheer horror, his eyes widened as the mass of what she was trying to convey settled upon him. His heart beating quickly, the sweat forming on his brow, the hastened breathing...he was reacting to have been found out by one of his two best friends in the world. He felt like falling off the face of the planet right about now.  
  
"F-Fujin...please, let me explain~~"  
  
"You don't have to explain," she interrupted. "I'm not angry at you. I...my heart just hurts, is all."  
  
"What?"  
  
"When I followed you that day...one year ago, in May," she continued. "When I followed you to Balamb, I saw you...it made my heart hurt, but I saw you. You had that bouquet of Red Snapdragon roses. And you had that emerald ring...I wasn't hurting because I was sad, but because I was happy that you were happy."  
  
"Fujin, I~~"  
  
She interrupted him again. "That man...you seemed so happy with him. The way you kissed him when you met him in the back alleys near the train station...the hapiness in his voice when he got the roses...you were insane with love, but you were happy. And I felt good that you weren't alone then. I had always wondered why you went off by yourself to Balamb and didn't let either Raijin or myself go with you. I figured it was because you wanted time by yourself, but if I had known...you...back then, I would've been more courteous."  
  
"..."  
  
"You did, though. Time to yourself...with your lover. I wasn't mad at you, though. And I'm not mad at you now. I...I loved you." Her head hung downwards again, her voice quivering with sorrow. "Forgive me, Seifer...Oh God, please forgive me."  
  
Seifer's heart was hurting, just like Fujin said hers was. It was too much to bear...she had followed him, spied on him with his lover...it was just way too much to comprehend at the time. He felt a little betrayed by this woman standing before him. But at the same time, he knew that Fujin didn't mean any harm. He honestly believed that all she wanted for him was some sense of pleasure...and now he felt even more guilty- -he thought his betrayal had brought her to tears. And compounded with the horror that he thought he caused her when she saw him with 'that man'...it probably destroyed her.  
  
"God, Fujin...Fujin, I am so sorry," Seifer pleaded honestly. "I never wanted you to find out like this...damnit. I was gonna tell you someday, but I didn't feel brave enough to tell anyone. I'm not mad at you for following me, Fujin...I'm mad at myself for being so dishonest about everything. I should be asking you for forgiveness."  
  
"No...that's not right. I thought I could change you after that...my feelings for you became even stronger after that day. I was selfish, and I still am to this day. Seifer..."  
  
"Fujin, I~~"  
  
"I still love you," the woman confided to him. "I want to get close to you and never let you go. But I know that is impossible to do right now. I feel so deluded for even thinking I could change you."  
  
"...Fujin..."  
  
"But I know I have to let you go. It hurts me to do so, and it'll never be your fault that I am this way. But...I just can't change my feelings. I can never change the path my heart has taken."  
  
Seifer, now sinking even deeper in this quagmire of grief and pain, couldn't look his longtime friend in the eye anymore. He knew deep in the back of his mind that it was fault for not saying anything earlier to her...the feelings in his chest tore him to shreds on the inside. Fujin, now crying her ice-blue eyes out, started to slowly back away from him.  
  
"It's not your fault...don't think that, ever," Fujin told Seifer in an attempt to make him feel better. "Like I said, my heart cannot be controlled, and I'll always love you. But if I could never be with you, and you could be happy with your man, then...that would've been enough for me."  
  
"I...I..." Tears were beginning to stream down the reddened cheeks of the man named Seifer Almasy. Her words rang true with each syllable she spoke.  
  
"Since he died, you've been trapped within a prison of your own misery...and it kills me to see you like that. I know about that too- -you told me five months ago that someone close to you had died. You told me that it was a relative of yours in Timber, but after that person died, you never went to Balamb again."  
  
"...Aah...but~~"  
  
"Please Seifer...don't shut me out. I don't want you suffering like this...not now, not ever. I'll live, but you...I'm worried more about you."  
  
"..."  
  
After a long, tense moment, Fujin started off to leave, heading toward the Training Facility. Seifer stopped her in her tracks be calling out to ask her something. Trying desperately to stifle back whimpers and tears, he spoke up to her.  
  
"Fujin...is it...really okay? I hurt you...I never meant to hurt you."  
  
After another painful silence, she answered back without looking at him. "...I'm okay."  
  
With the end of that, Fujin ran off whimpering into the depths of the Training Facility. She never wanted to show any emotion- -she tried so desperately to hold it all back in case it would hurt him. Seifer never realized how the woman felt towards him, and now that everything had been thrust out into the open between them, everything had gone numb. The pain, the sorrow...all of it had seemingly died inside of him. The pain of Seifer's loss within a lover was blunted by the trauma of having been discovered by a woman very close to him...but he knew that the numbness wouldn't last. Fujin dealt with her pain by inflicting pain on monsters, and Seifer dealt with his by inflicting it on people. He knew he was no better than the men who killed his lover...he was nothing more than a barbaric monster that preyed on the weaknesses of others to numb his own pain.  
  
"Fujin," he moaned. "God...damn. It's my fault. You say it's not, but...but it is." Seifer slumped down onto one of the stairs leading up to the elevator, awash in the numbness permeating his veins. The tears continued to flow on as his world made out of glass cane crashing down around him. Seifer felt broken and lonely. He always knew he was unpopular and a loner, but now that fact was bearing down on him like the sun's heat on a hot summer day. He felt like telling someone...anyone...anyone who would be kind enough to listen to him. Telling them about himself and his past. But no one liked him enough to listen. Everyone hated him.  
  
"I'm...alone. All alone," Seifer whispered lifelessly to himself, hanging his head down in shame and regret. "No one...cares about me."  
  
Just then, Zell walked angrily into the Garden Lobby from the Cafeteria section. He didn't see Seifer until he walked over near the elevators, but when he did he tore into him for being late to see him.  
  
"What the fuck," Zell snapped. "I thought I told you I wanted to see you after classes!" The martial artist wasn't too pleased with how Seifer missed his scheduled meeting with him. And the fact that he didn't look at him when he was talking made it even worse. "Figures. You were never sorry to begin with. You're nothin' but a bastard! A loser bastard! If you ever try and get close to me or Squall, you're~~~"  
  
Seifer's head slowly craned up to look at an angry Zell standing over him, chewing him out. Zell couldn't believe what was taking place in front of his face- -his archenemy, who was known for his hard-as-nails personality and tough-guy attitude was sitting before him, crying his eyes out. His cheeks filled with color and his eyes reddened from the tears, something earth-shattering must've happened to him. Or at least that's what Zell thought, because he had never in his life seen Seifer this emotional in his entire time at Balamb Garden. Zell, toning down the anger quite a bit, initiated the conversation.  
  
"Man, Seifer," the spiky-haired young student asked. "You were late. Obviously I am mad a little, but...what in the hell happened to you?"  
  
"Five months ago," Seifer replied, hanging his head down. Zell didn't quite understand what he meant.  
  
"...What?"  
  
"Five...months ago. That day will live on in my heart as the worst day in my life."  
  
"Five months ago...what do you mean?"  
  
Zell looked at him, perplexed as to what he was trying to say. After a moment though, it hit him. What Dr. Kadowaki had told him about Seifer...what she had said had happened to him five months ago. The only think she told Zell was that Seifer was stabbed and that he told her he was gay. But, there had to be something else involved...  
  
"Seifer," Zell asked him. The youth sat down next to him and put his hand on his shoulder. "Hey man, what's up? This isn't like you...what in the hell happened five months ago?"  
  
The taller blonde didn't even flinch at Zell's touch. Instead, he just kept on talking like nothing had happened. It was almost as if all the life had drained out of him.  
  
"God...my fault..."  
  
"What, man? What's your fault?"  
  
"He's dead. And it's because I wasn't there to protect him. Even though I swore I'd always be there to protect him...I failed him. I am a bastard."  
  
"..."  
  
"I had a lover once, man."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Yeah," Seifer said lifelessly, not raising his head up. "I had someone I loved."  
  
"W-Who? You mean..."  
  
"Someone in Balamb. You didn't know it. No one knew it. Except for Fujin. And I hurt her feelings."  
  
"What happened to Fujin?" Zell shocked himself- -he was actually interested in Seifer's past and present. "What did you do?"  
  
"..."  
  
"...Fuck. I'm sorry, Seifer. Here I go, thinking you did something, and it was your fault."  
  
"You're right. It was my fault that I hurt Fujin's feelings. I tore her heart out and stomped on it. But I never cared enough about anyone else to know any better. Especially Fujin."  
  
"...Umm..."  
  
"I had a clandestine lover," he continued. "His name was Ty and I loved him...God, I miss those days..."  
  
"...Really," Zell said with growing interest. "This Ty...you loved him that much?"  
  
"Hell yeah," Seifer retorted. "God, he was the light of my life. Fuckin' strong, tanned, tall, handsome, smart...he had it all."  
  
"..."  
  
"...Heh. Sounds a little corny, eh? Some way of lightening up the atmosphere." Seifer looked up at Zell and managed a small smile. Zell returned the favor with a little grin of his own. "Yep...he really was my soulmate. I used to believe in fairytales and myths like that...I used to, but not now."  
  
"What happened," the shorter one asked.  
  
"..." The tears were coming back in full force now. The numbness never faded, but the tears would always be there. "He...was murdered."  
  
Zell jumped back in sheer horror. "What?! Murdered? How in the fuck?"  
  
"Please, man...let me finish."  
  
"Oh...sorry. But that sucks...I'm sorry, Seifer."  
  
"Nah, if anyone has to do the apologizing here, it's me. You don't have to say sorry to me for anything. Remember, I'm the bad guy here, not you."  
  
"Yeah, but you're not all bad though."  
  
That little compliment had slipped out from Zell's mouth from the back of his mind. No way had he ever meant to compliment Seifer, especially in a time like this with everything that happened between them. Zell still feared somewhere that the old, cruel Seifer would come lashing out at him and perhaps finish the job he started out upon. The conversation stalled after that but Seifer instinctively started it up again, like he knew that Zell had made a mistake.  
  
"You don't know the half of me," he joked with dark humor.  
  
"Hm, yeah. I suppose that's what I get, eh?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
Zell sighed. "So...what about Ty? You said that he was killed?"  
  
"...Yeah. He was murdered by two of his clients."  
  
"...Clients? Was he a lawyer or something?"  
  
Seifer shook his head. "Not quite, Zell. He was involved in the oldest profession in the world."  
  
"The oldest...profession? What is..." After a few moments, Zell put it together and responded. "Oh, you don't mean..."  
  
"Yep. He was a prostitute."  
  
Zell looked away, unable to find anything to say to comfort Seifer. But again, the saddened man sensed another tense moment coming and averted it.  
  
"Ya don't have to say anything."  
  
"Y-Yeah, but~~"  
  
"It's fine," he reiterated. "Besides, there's nothing I can do now. The past is long buried in the layers of time...there's nothing I can do."  
  
"..."  
  
"So anyway," he continued. "Five months ago, I secretly went down to Balamb to see him. I knew where he lived, and he wasn't expecting me, so I didn't think it mattered. Anyway, I got to his shack, which happened to be in the seedy part of Balamb. I went inside of the apartment building, went to his door and knocked. The door wasn't even closed- -it was partially ajar."  
  
"Oh...my goodness."  
  
"Yeah, that's what I said," Seifer commented. "Anyway, I went in, and...I..." He was beginning to choke up.  
  
"...Seifer?"  
  
"...Oh...God, it was....so horrible. All I found was his...his dead body propped up in a closet..." Seifer began to rub his face in sheer anguish, the tears being pressed into his face. "God, there was...blood everywhere..."  
  
"Oh fuck...that...oh man, Seifer..."  
  
"...They attacked me. They were...lying in wait, one under the bed and one in the bathroom...waiting for someone to come and discover the body...and they stabbed me. But I killed them."  
  
Now Zell was piecing it together. The stab wound that Dr. Kadowaki had to treat and Seifer's admission that he was gay to her...it was all in reaction to the death of his only lover, Ty. Now it was all making sense to him. He wasn't going to tell Seifer that the kind doctor told him, but he wanted to know more.  
  
"How did you get back to the Garden," Zell asked him. "If you were stabbed in the abdomen, then it...oh shit."  
  
Seifer looked up at him, staring in disbelief. Zell's mouth had gotten the better of him again, and after he swore he'd keep it secret, too.  
  
"I never told you I was stabbed in the abdomen."  
  
"Damnit...Seifer, I am so sorry..."  
  
"..."  
  
"Fuck...listen, Dr. Kadowaki told me. That's why it makes sense to me now."  
  
"I'm not mad. Actually, it makes things easier."  
  
"What? Really?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Oh...wow! I thought you were gonna beat me up...or...something......hmm, not the right words again, huh?"  
  
Seifer could only grin and shake his head a little as he continued. "Yep, that stab wound to the abdomen is what happened. I got a ride back to the Garden from someone in town. If he hadn't have picked me up, I'd probably be dead right now."  
  
"...Aah..."  
  
Seifer stared into Zell's eyes for what seemed like forever, and Zell was powerless to pull away. For some odd reason that he couldn't explain, the master of the gunblade felt connected to him now. Even through their trials and ordeals, he felt closer to Zell than anyone he had ever felt closer to in his life...with the exception of Ty.  
  
"Thanks, man," Seifer said, honesty showing in his voice. "I feel a little better just telling someone about life. Even if you don't care, I'm just happy someone took the time out to listen."  
  
"...Umm, yeah. Well, any...time, I guess..." Zell's voice trailed off, while he never tore his gaze away from Seifer's. There was something beyond explanation happening between these two men, but Zell wasn't afraid of whatever it was. He knew now that Seifer wouldn't hurt him anymore...in fact he would probably be nicer to him than ever before. The moment ending all of a sudden, Seifer nodded approvingly and got up to head to his dorm room. But before he left, he turned back around and said something to Zell that made the fighter wonder.  
  
"I feel great. This grief, this torture...it's lifting. Maybe I can find someone to love again."  
  
With that, he gave Zell a friendly wink and left. Zell, dumbfounded at Seifer's apparent and miraculous personality change, was left wondering if what he just said could have a possible hidden meaning.  



	10. Blue Moon On Balamb Garden

Revolver And Friend: Blue Moon On Balamb Garden  
  
  
  
  
  
Six days from that day, when Seifer had practically revealed his entire being to Zell, it still amazed the martial artist. Who would've known that Seifer had such a past filled with tumult, anguish and grief; a past that shook him to the point of emptiness?  
  
Seifer. The bully of Balamb. Zell never fathomed that he could feel emotion.  
  
Yes, that emotion. A man so devoid of feeling towards his fellow humanity that he regularly beat up innocent students was capable of feeling 'that' emotion. It is true that every person has a side of themselves that needs to be restrained; that must be imprisoned within their hearts so that no one may see it and shudder. 'Hatred' must be concealed for everyone's sake, or it could have disastrous results. But it was the complete opposite with Seifer Almasy. Instead of keeping negative feelings bottled up, it was the 'love' that was being bottled up instead of that. What happened in the past with his lover Ty set this horrible chain reaction within the sword master in effect. Seifer detached, and he felt everyone should know the same pain he felt in his heart.  
  
But six days ago all of that changed. It was as if the man's heart was unlocked and all of the emotions came flowing out. Zell detected an immediate change in his behavior over the rest of the week, and it was all for the better. Not only was Seifer nice to him, but he also went out of his way to be somewhat kind to Squall--who still hated his guts--by sitting him down and explaining why he did what he did on 'that' day. It didn't work out too well, but Zell admitted it was a start to a better understanding.  
  
~~~  
  
Zell lay up in Squall's dorm room in his bed, not being able to sleep after seducing Squall for the first time. Squall was wrapped in sheets and nestled into his muscular chest, his leg draped over Zell and breathing softly as he slept after their first lovemaking session in their relationship. The lime-green drapes fluttered in midair, letting a cool gust of early morning air into the small room. A soft hue of moonlight engulfed the surroundings, drenching the room and the two students in a soft blue light.  
  
As the blonde lie there, looking up at the ceiling and holding his new lover, he pondered his life before he ever became involved with him. A week ago, Zell barely even knew the man. All he could ever do was watch him from afar in the cafeteria or the library or in one of the classes they had together, and wish that Squall would notice him. All of the attempts at getting near him previously failed, and it left him slightly worried that maybe Squall knew and that he didn't like him. The sword-wielding youth was known for his aloofness and sour attitude towards others, and comparisons to Seifer were regularly made by others who were burned in their advances to get to know him. But Zell knew that it wasn't anything like that. It took him a while to muster up the courage to just come out and talk to him, but it paid off in the long run. Now they were together, and nothing would ever separate them as long as they lived…at least he hoped that nothing would. Zell gazed down at Squall while he slept, just enjoying the tender silent moment in its entirety.  
  
"Damn," he thought. "Guy's sleeping like a log. I wish I could sleep like him." Zell shifted his glance over to the desk where a small alarm clock sat. "3:32? It'll be time to get up in about an hour and a half."  
  
Just then, he felt some movement beside him. Zell looked over to see Squall looking sleepily up at him.  
  
"Uh, sorry man," Zell said softly. "I didn't mean to wake you up."  
  
Squall let out a monstrous yawn. "Aah…yeah. It's fine. I was ::yawn!:: gonna get up anyway."  
  
"You don't have to, you know. You could sleep a little more if you want."  
  
"No…I'm up now. I can't fall back asleep that easily, so it's no use to worry."  
  
"Oh, fine."  
  
Squall wrapped his arm around Zell's chest and squeezed a little. "'Oh, fine'? Gee, you know how to make a guy feel wanted!"  
  
Zell laughed a little. "Sorry, sorry. I just know how you love your beauty sleep."  
  
"It's not beauty sleep. I was just tired from last night, that's all. I didn't think that it would be that tiring to have sex."  
  
"Exhausted, you," Zell asked jokingly. "You were the one who wore ME out! I know you were a virgin, but I could've swore you've done this some other time, heh-heh!"  
  
Squall sat up, picked up his pillow and swung it at Zell, hitting him gently in the head. "Oh, shut up!"  
  
"Heh-heh-heh! It's true, it's true!"  
  
"Yeah, you wish."  
  
Squall collapsed back down onto the bed. Propping his head up against his hand, the gunblade master came out and asked him a question from out of the blue.  
  
"You know, this is probably a bad time, but I never got to ask you about it."  
  
Zell glanced back over to Squall in interest. "Eh? About what?"  
  
"Hmm, I know you had a girlfriend a little before you got with me."  
  
He, of course, was talking about Zell's former girlfriend Samantha, an incredibly beautiful girl that Zell knew for about a year before they got together. But playing coy, the fighter asked him who he was talking about anyway. He masterfully put on a face of surprise and countered.  
  
"What?! I never had a girlfriend!"  
  
"Yeah you did! I saw you with her all the time! It was around 6 months ago that I saw you hanging around with her!"  
  
"Oh, is that so? Well Mister, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about!"  
  
"You liar! She transferred out of Balamb to attend Trabia a little while ago!"  
  
Zell cut the joking aside and decided that the game was up. Coming clean, he confessed to having her as a previous girlfriend.  
  
"Okay, okay…you're right. Yeah, Sam was a girlfriend of mine."  
  
"Hmm, interesting," Squall said. "Did you like her? I mean, were you in love with her?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so. She was pretty nice to me and stuff…she was also beautiful too. I never thought I could get with someone like Sam, but it happened."  
  
"I never knew you loved women," Squall said.  
  
"Well, I don't," Zell continued. "At least not now. But back then I thought I loved women. You know how it is…when you're gay, you have to be sure about it. I actually thought I was bisexual for a while, but that didn't work for me."  
  
"I understand. That can only mean you slept with her?"  
  
Zell looked strangely at Squall. "Why are you asking me these questions all of a sudden?"  
  
"Well," the one with dark hair replied, inching from out of the sheets. Zell looked at him to see that he was wearing some of his clothing.  
  
"And you're wearing my favorite black T-shirt too!"  
  
"I was cold, so I needed something to put on," Squall said matter-of-factly.  
  
"You know you're bigger than me. I'll have to buy a new shirt because you're stretching it out."  
  
"Oh, I'm quite aware of that. Let me make it a mission to stretch out all of your clothes so that you have to spend insane amounts of money to replace them all."  
  
Zell picked up his pillow and hit Squall over the head gently with it, countering the hit he got earlier. "That's pretty mean!"  
  
"It is, it is…"  
  
"Yeah, it is."  
  
Zell sat in bed silent while Squall stared him in the eye.  
  
"What's that look for," the blonde asked.  
  
"Oh…nothing."  
  
"Yeah, right! 'Nothing' my ass!"  
  
"Mmm, speaking of your ass," Squall quipped almost in a reflex. "I ought to return the favor sometime. Where were you before a week ago, huh?"  
  
"Ha-ha, you're pretty funny," Zell said with fake sarcasm.  
  
"Hmm, so you say. But really though…it's strange."  
  
"Mmm? How is it strange?"  
  
"I lost my virginity to you, Zell. I can't look at you the same anymore. I mean, not that it's a bad thing, but I feel sort of different now that I've had sex with you." Squall inquired some more into Zell's feelings. "You feel different too, right?"  
  
He cocked an eyebrow and scratched his head. "Well, umm…yeah, I guess. A little. Sex is pretty personal, if you decide to do it."  
  
"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. It's gotten really personal between you and I right now. I feel slightly obligated to you now."  
  
"I think I understand you…"  
  
"Yeah," Squall said. "We've only been together for about a week, but I've never felt this way about anyone in my entire life. It may sound somewhat funny, but I don't think I've ever felt love before I met you."  
  
"Oh," Zell said, shocked. "Well, I…I guess that's natural. I feel obligated to you too."  
  
"It's gone to a whole new level with us. That's why I wanted to know about her. I knew you loved her, but I just needed to know if you…'loved' her.  
  
"…" He knew automatically what Squall meant. He wasn't like him before they had sex.  
  
"I know, Zell. I can see it in your eyes. It's fine if you weren't a virgin too--it was foolish of me to even think something like that could even be true." Squall put a hand on his lover's shoulder and comforted him. "I'm sorry--maybe I shouldn't have even brought it up."  
  
"No, it's fine," he reassured him. "We're a couple now, and we shouldn't keep secrets from each other if we're a couple."  
  
"A…couple," Squall said, like he never heard the word before.  
  
"Yes. Well, that's if you think this isn't moving too fast. If you think we should slow down a little, I wouldn't mind if we did. The last thing I want to do is to make you do anything you really don't feel like doing in the first place."  
  
"Oh, no," Squall said, shaking his head. "I didn't mean it like that. I think the relationship is moving along at a perfect pace. I wouldn't want it to be any other way than how it is right now. I'm just getting used to that word, is all."  
  
"Heh, does it sound so strange, hm?"  
  
"To tell you the truth," Squall said, looking out the one window in the dorm. "It does. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would ever fall in love."  
  
"Me too," Zell said. "Love is a strange emotion, though. It's strong, but at the same time it can be easily broken into pieces. So it isn't as strong as you would like it to be once you think about it."  
  
"Hmm," Squall sighed.  
  
A long silence ensued after that. Squall and Zell sat in bed, staring out of the window that sat over the desk and into the bright full moon that loomed overhead in the dark and starry skies. The blue moonlight seemed to reach everywhere--the trees, the grass…everything was covered in moonlight. It seemed so poignant right now that neither of the men knew where the relationship was going and where they would be in the future. Everything seemed more and more uncertain the more they thought. Squall wished that they could be together forever and live a nice, quiet life somewhere away from everyone else. He was all that he ever needed in life, and in the bottom of his heart, he knew that Zell was all he ever wanted in life as well. The silence was broken eventually again by Squall.  
  
"Hey," he asked him, looking over at the blonde. "Do you ever think that…"  
  
"Zell looked into his eyes. "Think about what?"  
  
"Oh, about…things. About how things will be in the future."  
  
"Oh, the future."  
  
"Yes. I know we're young and all, but I find myself thinking more and more about the future nowadays."  
  
"What do you think about," Zell asked him. "I think about some things too."  
  
Squall sighed in sheer nervousness. "You know, typical things. Whether or not I'll ever hurt your feelings and such. I really want to avoid that, because I love you so much."  
  
"I know you wouldn't ever hurt me, Squall. I don't need to worry about that ever happening to me."  
  
"Yes, but what if I did…accidentally? Do you think that you could ever forgive me if I did?"  
  
Zell didn't know where this conversation was heading. The uncharted territory of Squall's feelings made him worry slightly about what he was trying to say to him. "Why would you think you would ever do anything to hurt me?"  
  
"I don't know…I don't know. Maybe…"  
  
"…?"  
  
"It's tough to say. Since you're the only one I've ever loved, it would be natural for me to make sure that I never did anything that you didn't like. It's the future that scares me, not my emotions."  
  
"The future…?"  
  
"Yes." Squall looked away, back to the view of the moon in the sky. "This mission we have today at Dollet…I have never been one to admit my emotions, but I will admit it now. I'm scared about the future. There's no telling what could happen out there. Anything could happen--one of us could even die out on the battlefield today."  
  
Zell jumped into the conversation with haste. "Don't say that, Squall! Come on, just don't think like that!"  
  
"See, that is what I am talking about!"  
  
"Come on, Squall," Zell urged. "No one's gonna die out there! Not you, not me…no one!"  
  
"How do you know? Life is so uncertain. One day someone you care about is there and the next day they could be gone forever. I'm not even worried about anyone else…I'm not even worried about myself. But I am worried about you."  
  
"…Squall…"  
  
"Damn, this is one of my biggest problems," he continued on sadly. "Once I start to think, it spirals out of control and I can't do anything to stop it. And I usually end up with a bad outcome to my thoughts. If it were just another face of a SeeD candidate dying out on the battlefield, I wouldn't give a damn. If it were someone I didn't care about or know, I wouldn't look back at it. Hell, if it were someone like Seifer…"  
  
"…"  
  
"…If it were someone like Seifer, I sure as hell wouldn't care about it."  
  
"I know, Squall. He's hurt a lot of people in a lot of places. But I'm sure he has his own pain too. No one can be completely evil, right?"  
  
"…I guess."  
  
"See? Just put those thoughts right out of your head! If you think positive, things'll work out in the long run!"  
  
"…Really?"  
  
"Yeah! I'm not down because of what he did to me. I'm still my same cheerful, obnoxious self!" Zell flashed his trademark cheesy smile at Squall, whick made him in turn grin a little too. "See? I told you!"  
  
"You know I can't resist that smile. I shouldn't have even told you how crazy it is."  
  
"Well, that's too bad! Plan on seeing a lot of it from now on!"  
  
"Yeah…I will. I'm sorry Zell. Like I said, I think entirely too much."  
  
"Don't then."  
  
"Okay, I understand. I won't think as long as I'm with you."  
  
"…"  
  
"What," Squall asked. "What did I say?"  
  
Zell sighed. "Gee, for some reason, you didn't make that sound too flattering."  
  
"Squall again reached over and hit him with his pillow. "Jerk!"  
  
"Ha-ha-ha, you know you love me!"  
  
"Yeah, I do. I love hitting you with pillows so much."  
  
"Keep it up buddy…keep it up."  
  
Zell laughed and looked back over at the clock. Seeing that it was now 3:55 in the morning, he got ready to hop out of bed. Squall, however, grabbed a hold of his arm and stopped him before he could make it out.  
  
"Oh, and where do you think you're going, young man?"  
  
Zell slipped his arm from Squall's grasp and gingerly walked over to the bathroom, where he took a towel from a hanging rail near the doorway. Then, while grinning, he walked over to the door leading to the halls. Turning around, he addressed his mate's inquiry in a cool and calculated tone. "I'm going to the showers."  
  
Squall looked at him curiously. "The showers? Isn't that a little…too…"  
  
Zell, still grinning, cleared his throat and reiterated his stance. "Ahem! I'm going to the showers. I feel so…dirty."  
  
Squall couldn't help but laugh aloud at this. "Oh, really? Dirty, eh?"  
  
"Yes," he replied. "Dirty."  
  
Squall got up, walked over to the bathroom and grabbed himself a towel from the rack. "I feel a little dirty too. I think I need to bathe as well."  
  
"Oh yes…you need to as well," Zell said. "I want to bathe thoroughly, so I think I'll be 'locking' the door to my shower. Isn't that a great idea, eh?"  
  
"Yes, I think I'll 'lock' the door to my shower too. I need some privacy, like I'm sure you do too."  
  
"Well then! I am going to shower. If anybody objects, let them show it with…a physical gesture."  
  
With that, Zell exited the room and headed down the hall to the men's shower. Squall was left alone, giddy with excitement at what was going to take place. Looking out the window one last time, he made his thoughts perfectly clear…somewhat.  
  
"It is unanimous," he said to no one in particular. "We all object." He left the room in a hurry to catch up with Zell in order not to miss his 'shower'.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Quistis and Xu stood waiting in the Garden Lobby for the chosen SeeD candidates to arrive. Instructor Trepe stood with her arms crossed, looking as if she were a little nervous about the entire thing. Xu paid no attention and stared into the fountain, looking at the tropical fish swimming along inside. The silence was interrupted by two sets of footsteps approaching from behind. Quistis turned around to see a beaming Squall Leonhart and an equally happy Zell Dincht coming towards her, fully dressed in light-blue SeeD trainee attire for the upcoming trial.  
  
"Wow…Squall," The tall, leggy teacher exclaimed. "And Zell! You two are absolutely glowing today! You must be really looking forward to your mission at Dollet!"  
  
Both men looked at each other simultaneously and then back at her. They replied in unison with a hearty 'no' and took their positions near the entrance of the Lobby, taking along with them their own little inside joke. Quistis was unaware of why they were so happy, so she just continued on.  
  
"Well, we have to wait for the Headmaster to arrive, so just hold your horses. He should be here any minute."  
  
Almost as if on cue, the Lobby elevator doors opened, presenting the man in point. The Headmaster of Balamb Garden, Cid Kramer, came out of the elevator and came down the steps.  
  
"Oh, here they are," Cid said. "Here are my SeeD candidates! Today will be a good day for all of you, I assure you!"  
  
Xu greeted the Headmaster with a small stack of papers and a smile. Cid took them and read aloud from the first sheet to Squall and Zell. Both Quistis and Xu stood at Cid's sides, letting him start the briefing.  
  
"Today," he said. "You will be deployed on a mission to aid Dollet in the battle against the forces of the Galbadia Republic. Your mission on your arrival is to subdue the remaining grunts that lay on the outskirts of the city, make your way into the inner workings of Dollet and~~"  
  
Xu interrupted Cid, whispering into his ear. After a few short seconds, he nodded and retracted his statement about the mission. "Ahem, it…it seems that I have erred in the paperwork. You will be briefed further on the mission once you gain access to a charter vessel in Balamb City. That is all. Cid turned his back and began to chat it up with the two ladies at his sides, ignoring the two men in front of him.  
  
"What," Zell whispered to Squall. "What does he mean 'we'll be briefed further on the boat'? I thought he was gonna tell us everything we needed to know right now!"  
  
"Yes, it is strange," Squall replied. "I don't want any surprises, so why won't he say anything to us?"  
  
"Beats the hell out of me!"  
  
"Hmm…"  
  
Footsteps could be heard coming from behind the two. Both Squall and Zell turned around to see three figures approaching from outside, coming into the Garden Lobby. As they neared, it was quickly known that these figures were none other then Fujin, Raijin and Seifer Almasy. Squall looked away, while Zell could do nothing but watch the man in the middle come closer to his point of being. Cid and the others heard them coming and greeted them.  
  
"Oh, here we are," Cid said enthusiastically. "Ahem! SeeD candidates, your partner for the mission has arrived. Squall Leonhart and Zell Dincht, I would like you to meet Seifer Almasy. He has undertaken many of these missions without…err…success, but he should be a worthwhile squad leader." Cid waited until Seifer got in line with the others, then continued. "Seifer, please. Introduce yourself."  
  
Turning to both of them, the tall Hyperion wielder offered a dull 'hi', then turned around to his friends behind them. Squall and Zell couldn't believe what they had just heard--the man they had as an enemy was to be their squad leader for the mission that would make or break their careers as SeeD mercenaries. This truly may be a long, testing day for all three of them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. SeeDs Are Sprouting Up

Revolver And Friend: SeeDs Are Sprouting Up  
  
  
  
  
  
Zell sprinted down and around the bend that sat leading towards Balamb Harbor near the inn with Squall closely in tow behind him. They were on a tight schedule for this mission; they and their partner would get on the boat and leave for Dollet at 8:00, completing their mission before sundown the same day.  
  
It was now 8:06. Lieutenant Xu and Instructor Trepe stood side by side at the docks, waiting impatiently for their SeeD candidates to arrive. At that time two youths arrived, lacking sufficient air from the run that began at Zell's mother's house in town.  
  
"S-sorry…Lieutenant…and Quistis," Zell apologetically said between breaths. "Whew, barely made it here after all."  
  
"That's fine, Zell," Quistis responded. After that, she cocked her left eyebrow curiously and spoke. "Now where do you suppose your captain is? Shouldn't he have come from the town with the both of you, hm?"  
  
Squall interjected himself into the conversation. "That idiot. He said something about 'really trying to be a SeeD this time' or something like that. Then he ran inside of the inn with his lackey Raijin."  
  
"Mmm, is that so?" she questioned back, like she wasn't surprised. "If he keeps this up, he can forget about 'really being a SeeD this time', because he'll fail the course."  
  
"My words exactly."  
  
The four of them stood there and made small talk, waiting for the other one to arrive when Xu spotted someone coming down from the city in the distance. "…Is that who I think it is?" she said, amazed, as this man walked down to the docks quite gingerly like there was no rush. The others turned around to see a taller man come strutting up to them; showing of, almost. Dressed down in sky-blue jacket and trousers that all SeeD candidates wore on a mission, Seifer arrived with a smile. All four were shocked to see him like this.  
  
"What?" he inquired with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes and voice. He knew exactly what kind of reaction he invoked in his comrades, but wasn't going to give in that easily. "Maybe you think I should wear this more often, huh?" He brushed off his sleeves and yanked up the flaps of his collar so it stood upward and covered his neck. "I've never been one for fashion statements, but this is amazingly snug. You like it?"  
  
"…" Squall rolled his eyes, turning away from him. "Whatever," he, Seifer, Zell and Xu said in unison. Rolling his eyes again in frustration, he ignored the lot of them of boarded the transport vessel.  
  
"Ha! Hurt poor Squally boy's feelings I see," Seifer commented in joking form. "Well, let's get this show on the road, folks."  
  
Seifer walked past the other three and boarded the transport. Zell, Quistis and the Lieutenant followed suit after him, and as soon as they were all on the ship fired up its engines and plowed through the waters away from the city. Their destination was a war-torn trade city that did business with most of the world but was now under siege by the Galbadian Empire and its seemingly insurmountable troops. Dollet would be the final mountain the three young men had to climb to reach their ultimate goals of SeeDship.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It had been around 45 minutes since they had docked the ship, and the atmosphere was incredibly mind-numbing. The inside of the transport was gauche at best, with ugly off-white couches on each side, surrounding a see-through short table that looked to be made out of a cheap plastic. Texture of the air inside was heavy, which made breathing thoroughly uncomfortable, and lockers that held weapons and gear were lined up opposite a large built-in display.  
  
Squall and Zell sat on one couch with a hand leaning on one arm of the couch and their respective heads rested against them. Xu stood the entire time, fiddling with some sort of remote control that looked to have something to do with the monitor. Quistis and Seifer sat on the other; the female patiently waiting to arrive, while the male tapped his gunblade against the wall behind him. Each strike made a gentle clanging sound that, by itself, wouldn't be greatly annoying. But continuously it got on the nerves of another gunblade user that sat opposite of him. Seifer stared into Squall's eyes the entire time he was doing this.  
  
"Will you quit it," Squall drearily asked him.  
  
"Why should I?" he responded, almost if he had foreseen this coming. He never missed a beat.  
  
"Because it's annoying, that's why."  
  
"Do you have any ideas then?"  
  
"…No."  
  
"Well, I don't either."  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"Don't know. I was just making conversation."  
  
"Ah, I see. Nice job, but it's still boring."  
  
After a few minutes of more deafening silence--release the constant tapping of Hyperion against the wall of the ship--Squall sat upright and shook his head, then slouched back against the couch and sighed. "Goodness, are we there yet? This is so boring I could almost die from it. When are we gonna get to the action part?" He stared up at the ceiling, wishing he was doing other things at this time. "I almost can't wait until we get off this thing!"  
  
With these words, Seifer's tapping stopped dead. Squall immediately noticed this and sat up, seeing that his nemesis had put the weapon down beside him on the couch. Zell and Quistis only watched the two of them interact, and Xu didn't even seem to notice. Squall wondered what this man had begun to plot, because he knew him well enough to know that the cogs were turning in his head right this instant.  
  
"…What, Seifer? It's enough that I have to deal with you on a regular basis at the Garden. I don't feel like fighting with you right now, so save whatever editorial comment you have for later, okay?"  
  
Seifer looked offended, but soon recovered. "Squall, Squall…that's not it! I just find it interesting that you want to fight all of a sudden, when back at Garden you never wanted to fight me."  
  
"Like I said earlier, it's because of the boredom. I really don't want to do this at all."  
  
"So you're saying that you don't like fighting? Then why are you even a student at Garden if that's the case?"  
  
Squall narrowed his eyes. He saw where this was leading and wanted to stop it dead in its tracks. "Every male is forced to join Garden at some time before they reach 18 years of age. I never said I wanted to be in Garden."  
  
"But that can't be right," Seifer responded. "I remember you being ranked as one of the best nominees for SeeD a while back…" He turned to Quistis unexpectedly and brought her into the equation. "As a matter of fact, Instructor Trepe voted for you…isn't that right?"  
  
The woman threw her head back and sighed. "Yes, Seifer. I voted Squall as a candidate for top SeeD once."  
  
Seifer nodded in approval and grinned, turning back to Squall. "See, there we go…you really don't hate fighting. You love it, don't you? You don't have to lie to me; I see it practically every day when you train in the Training Facility back at Balamb Garden." His grin turned into a 'gotcha' smirk as he leaned in and placed his Hyperion on the table. "As your main rival--and I am your main rival--I'll admit that you're pretty good with a blade. But you've got much to learn, grasshopper. For the one who tries to snatch the stone from the master's hand is usually prideful…and pride almost certainly leads to downfall." Seifer leaned back in his chair and offered one last insult by referring to him again as 'grasshopper'.  
  
Squall turned his head away in disgust. He hated his man with a passion. After all that he has done to him and to the one person he actually not only cared about but 'loved' in life, he hated Seifer Almasy with a passion. The portion of himself that felt a need to protect the one whom he loved resented his rival and everything that he stood for. The callousness, the hypocrisy, the elitist attitude…Squall hated it all. But his other side--his mind--knew that his in itself was hypocrisy. For everything that Squall hated about him, Squall himself was in all actuality.  
  
He knew he could never have asked for a better enemy than Seifer.  
  
After all, keeping your friends and loved ones close is important…but sometimes you may keep your enemies even closer then that.  
  
Squall accepted this verbal spar by also picking up and setting his Revolver on the table, so it laid just to the side of the Hyperion. Both ends of the respective swords were pointed towards the man who didn't use them--an agreement that they only knew what it really meant--and now Squall prepared to counter his enemy's statements.  
  
"Little boy, little boy…little boys shouldn't play with such dangerous weapons," Seifer caustically commented. "Why don't you give it to me instead? That way, it won't be a complete waste of scrap metal alloy."  
  
"You're an asshole, Seifer," Squall simply said.  
  
"Heh. Tell me something I don't know, grasshopper."  
  
"…All right," he said with a wicked grin, signaling that all bets were off. "Everyone in here likes sausage."  
  
Seifer's eyes widened in horror, and Quistis turned her head away to silently chuckle out of sight of the others, well aware of what Squall meant. The tall fighter knew immediately that the one he had confided in had told him. Zell, apparently shocked by his lover's outburst, sat up wide-mouthed and intervened. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey Squall…don't let him get to you like that! Take it from me; I know how good he is at screwing people into getting what he wants!" Zell looked around then focused his stare on Seifer, coming to the defense of Squall. Xu had begun to notice a slight change in the quiet atmosphere and glanced up from her work. "No stupid comment about how I used 'screwed' in a sentence, huh?"  
  
Seifer looked lackadaisically at Zell, secretly taken aback at how he got involved. The smirk faded from his façade rapidly. "…I-I don't know what you're talkin' about." Hesitating, he addressed the martial artist directly. "Look, this doesn't have anything to do with you, so just butt out."  
  
"I won't butt out, thank you very much! You're the one who started this thing, so why don't you like it when people take you up on your trash talk? Afraid that something could 'come out' that would damage your high-and-mighty reputation?"  
  
Seifer felt the sting of that remark, and the pain resonated through his heart like a dagger had been thrust there. It was over; Seifer knew it. He could fight verbally against Squall if the topic of choice had remained in the realm of gunblade skills, but that underhanded attack from both he and his boyfriend was the defeat of him. Hanging his head in obvious defeat, he failed to reply to Zell's accusation.  
  
"Oh, no answer? Hmm, it got quiet all of a sudden in here now, didn't it Squall?" Zell asked, looking over to him.  
  
"Yes it did Zell," he replied in a calm and collected voice, never taking his eyes off of his enemy. "The silence is painfully deafening…like a fly buzzing in my ear happened to have been swat down like the annoying, harmless insect it is."  
  
"Yep," Zell stated, turning back to Seifer. "Flies are all noise, until you swat 'em down."  
  
The tide turned quickly in their favor and against Seifer in this heated dialogue so quickly that it made his head spin. Seifer's mouth did get him into a situation for which there seemed no available escape. Almost immediately, he was reminded of a time where Zell told him about his 'revenge' that he had planned, but after breaking down and revealing his secret life and his now dead lover in Balamb, that seemed to have been pushed to the back burner. "Could this be his revenge on me?" Seifer mulled, is heart heavy with the weight of his defeat. "Damn…forget it. It's done."  
  
"Well, that's it. Nothing more to say now," Squall stated. "I'm done with you, Seifer."  
  
He and Zell sat back in the couch simultaneously, happy that they brought the 'almighty one' down a peg or two. Quistis signaled for Xu, bringing the silent but beautiful brunette up to her attention.  
  
"Sorry, Xu…I don't want things to get out of hand here." The woman pointed to the screen quickly, asking her of she would start the briefing of the Dollet liberation mission. Xu accepted, and pushing a button on the clicker made the monitor light up brightly. The woman cleared her voice and demanded full attention of all three men.  
  
"Okay…now that this little confrontation has ended," she commented pointedly. "And now that this thing works--almost--we can start the briefing." Xu pressed a button on the clicker, which cleared the screen and displayed an overhead grid-map of Dollet. "All right, here we go. This is an eagle's eye view of Dollet, the city who's key parliamentary sent out a call asking for assistance in routing the Galbadian troops that invaded. Dollet is an important trade city that houses some of the most important economic decisions and deals in the world. This city--release Esthar--easily defines the economic state of the world, how and where traders make deals that involve important exports for countries and cities, and dictates shifts in power trading throughout many, many regions. Undoubtedly, each and every city in the world has a vested interest in whether it stays free or becomes just another satellite in the vast Galbadian empire, and we at Balamb Garden are being payed a great purse for our assistance. Combine all of these elements, and we're sitting on a veritable mountain of money~~"  
  
"Or a veritable economic powder keg," Seifer mumbled, wounded by his loss.  
  
"Exactly. All of this has forced our Garden to react, and react we shall. Quite swiftly, in fact." Xu pushed a button, clearing the screen again and displaying the same map under lower magnification. She directed her crystal pointer at the lower-left part of the screen on top of a large red dot. "This is the shore that sits directly near the back of Dollet City. Our Garden ships are currently headed towards this position even as we speak, and will land there in approximately an hour from now. Immediately after we come ashore, Garden will dispatch all SeeD candidates to aid the remaining soldiers in routing the vast contingent of soldiers."  
  
Seifer interjected himself again. "Now how many soldiers are occupying the place? Last I recall, Galbadia tried this one and only brought about a single company of grunts. Something like 50 or so."  
  
Squall got in on the act again. "Worried, sensei?"  
  
"…"  
  
Xu stopped the confrontation in its tracks before it even gained ground. "Yes, Seifer…about that. There are many, many troops this time around. I couldn't even believe it when Headmaster Cid informed me, but the Empire isn't pulling any punches this time. Individual reports from retreating brigades say that nearly 1,000 troops invaded the city. However, conflicting reports from members on the seats of the Central Council say that the number has to exceed that."  
  
"By how much," Seifer asked, interested.  
  
"Well, the highest number we received went so far as 2,500. But that cannot be confirmed nor denied at this moment."  
  
"Damn! That much?" Zell exclaimed. "Sounds like Garden sent us on a suicide mission!"  
  
Xu shook her head at that assumption. "Our objective is not to defeat all of the troops occupying the city, but to prevent them from achieving their intended goal which is…" Xu used her crystal pointer to follow a trail of red blips that led from the bottom-left to the top-right of the screen. "Right here. The plateaus north of Dollet."  
  
"What do the soldiers want up there in the plateaus?" Squall asked.  
  
"Hey, wait…" Zell thought for a minute, then continued. "I remember my mom telling me something about a machine that was able to send broadcast waves all over the world. And I also remember that she said it was in Dollet."  
  
Xu nodded and smiled at him. "Correct Zell. This machine--known as a satellite dish--is capable of amplifying local radio waves and broadcast waves and sending them out to various places throughout the world. The shape of the dish in general is what catches the waves. The bigger the dish, the more it can catch and the more it can amplify. The satellite in Dollet is the biggest in the world, and there is no coincidence that many reports from the parliament tell of soldiers demanding access to 'the bowl'. Huge scores of troops were seen heading through the hilly pathways and up towards the plateaus where the dish sits."  
  
"Ah, I see…so what, all we have to do is stop them from using the dish?" Zell asked. "It's not like they would be able to use it anyway. Broadcasting through the airwaves just stopped 17 years ago and hasn't worked since then, so what's the point?"  
  
"True, it is highly unlikely that the dish would actually work because of the mysterious nature of its stoppage. Combined with the fact that it hasn't been used for a very long time and chances are that it will not function at all. But Garden has recognized this as an emergency of heavy proportions, and we have already been hired for the purse. So yes, we will land on the shores of Dollet, proceed through the town and make haste towards the cliffs on the northern side of the city, where we will prevent the troops from harnessing the power of the dish. That is essentially all we are required to do, anyway."  
  
"…All right," the short youth said simply.  
  
Xu sighed. "So, that is all. Enter Dollet, proceed towards the plateaus and foil Galbadia's plan to use the dish. Any questions…comments?" No one said anything and stared at the screen. Seifer shook his head, still dwelling on his tainted defeat by his two rivals. The brunette put her pointer down on the table and switched off the screen, concluding the briefing. "Guess that's it. See, easy, right?" She then pulled apart a fold-in chair and sat down in it.  
  
After that, another silence ensued. This was complemented with typical awkward looks towards each other out of sheer boredom and the occasional tapping of the foot to break the monotony. Around 15 minutes passed when Zell suddenly asked Squall a question.  
  
"Hey," he asked with his patented grin. "Let me see your gunblade."  
  
Squall tore his stare from the ground and looked at him "…No!"  
  
"Come on! Ple~~~ase? Just let me touch it!"  
  
"No! You broke the thing last time, remember?"  
  
"Come on, come on…that was an accident! An accident, I swear!"  
  
"…Nope. Sorry. No can do."  
  
"Come on…pretty please? You know I'm good for it!"  
  
Squall rolled his eyes at him. "Yeah, sure. Mmm-hmm."  
  
Seifer glanced at Zell quickly, then turned his head away. Zell asked repeatedly to hold the Revolver, and each time he asked he received a reply that he didn't really like. This went on for about 5 more minutes when Seifer suddenly stood.  
  
"Damnit! Squall, let him touch your gunblade so he'll shut up about it! Sheesh!"  
  
Squall cocked an eyebrow, followed by a small grin. "..If you want him to be quiet, give him yours!"  
  
Seifer shook his head and rubbed his hands against his face. Then out of nowhere, it came. "Fine," the tall man said simply, as if to get even. "It's on the table, chicken-wuss. Do what you want with it, but don't tear it up." He then walked toward a ladder that led to a release hatch that sat near the lockers of the ship. Before he could climb and unhinge the hatch, Zell asked him where he was going.  
  
"I need some fresh air…whatever reason you'll believe," was Seifer's reply. "I don't care."  
  
He climbed the ladder, released the small circular hatch and ascended to the deck of the ship, leaving the four of them quietly sitting inside. Zell watched the hatch close with a loud thud and said nothing afterwards. Looking around at Squall and the others, he occasionally checked out the wicked-looking blade that laid across from the Revolver. Regularly changing glances between Squall and the Hyperion, his curiosity eventually consumed him and he ended up picking up the heavier weapon off the table to sate his need. All of this happened to the chagrin of his lover, who secretly wished he picked up his Revolver instead of his enemy's Hyperion.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sounds of bombs dropping and exploding upon Dollet could be softly heard in the distance. In the ocean where the transport moved towards its destination, Seifer stood out on the deck and listened as each blast resonated in the calm air. The man had mixed emotions about this mission. One part of him believed that fighting earns respect from others, and respect was what made the man, period. He had always strived to perform to his utmost in Garden, especially when fighting against Squall. People didn't have to like him, he believed. But people had to 'respect' him. If you have plenty of respect from your colleagues, then you're invincible. It worked in every situation thrust upon him.  
  
But a different part of Seifer had been thinking about other things. Sure, if you fought, you would earn respect. But at what expense would that respect come? The man wasn't oblivious to his own situation; he had no friends, everyone had socially alienated him from the whole of Garden society, and he had recently learned of his 'ailment' given to him by his dead lover. Life simply seemed as if it couldn't get any worse, and now that he had been outed by Zell down below in the cabin of the ship to others, Seifer had hit rock bottom. 'Respect', it seemed, hadn't protected him from all things in life.  
  
Almost instantly, after another bomb quietly exploded, Seifer made a decision. He believed it was a longshot, and without effort it would fail immediately. But in a split-second decision, he decided to try and turn his life around. If only it were for a little while…if only for a day, even…he would do some good for himself.  
  
Looking onward as jests buzzed overhead and toward Dollet, Seifer nodded with a smile.  
  
"Things change today," he softly stated to himself. "Things change…they have to. I can't hide from my problems forever. I have to conquer them, like all the other problems I've survived through in my life." Staring at the open ocean for a few moments, he backed off and headed back toward the hatch to enter the cabin again. Before he went inside, he reassured himself again that things could change for the better if he only gave it a try. He told himself that the old Seifer had died…and that a new Seifer had come to take his place.  
  
"I'm not gonna run away from my problems or anything else in my life…ever again." With that, he entered the ship again.  



	12. Runnng Isn't An Option

Revolver And Friend: Running Is Not An Option

It was around 6 hours after they got off of the transport that the mission had been completed successfully. Zell, Squall and…Seifer.

As the boat docked back at Balamb Harbor, Seifer stood on the deck of the vessel alone, replaying through his mind what he had to endure. After all, he was the one who lived for the fight; battles and missions such as that were but a few of his only pleasures in life. He pictured the fallen bodies of numerous Galbadian and Dollet soldiers lying on the shores of the fine city…their arms and faces lacerated and bloodied beyond description by shrapnel bombs cast down onto the ground by war jets passing overhead. Seifer noticed that the Galbadians were like lifeless dolls--void of emotion, will or free thought--that seemed to attack the oncoming SeeD trainee brigades without any care in the world. Even as their own jets bombed them, and even though they stood no chance…they just kept on coming at him.

It reminded him of himself. That was how all of the students of Garden acted. It disgusted him.

But most of all, Seifer remembered how he had to save two of his fellow allies--one from a different attack squadron and one from his own--from certain doom. Nida, an elite gunman that attended school with him, had been left to die by his own team. It is true that he was the captain of his squad, and that he instructed his team to leave him. But he was blinded by one of the enemies' shrapnel bombs and left collapsed in the streets of downtown Dollet. All in the name of being called a SeeD.

"How disgusting," Seifer muttered as the ship slowed to a crawl at the docks.

The other scenario was a true test of humanity in and of itself. He didn't like the man, but he did respect him…especially after how he stuck up for his lover 'that time'. Yes, he could remember it vividly…

~~~~~~~~~~

Selphie Tilmitt, Zell Dincht and Seifer Almasy were on a mad dash towards the transport, hoping to make a hasty escape from the battleground. There were many bodies of slain soldiers from both sides of the fight, yet none gave them a second glance. Xu could be seen from around 40 feet away waving at them to hurry. All three saw victory within their collective grasp, when it happened.

"Aaaaaaaagghh! Ah, god…" a voice yelled from behind.

They all turned simultaneously to see that Squall Leonhart had tripped and fallen. He was laying in the sands, dragging his leg behind him, trying desperately to get to the transport.

"Squall~~~~~!" Zell yelled. "Damnit…!" Backing up a step and pointing, his eyes widened in horror at what was approaching. "Squall, get up! It's right behind you!"

"I sprained my ankle," he loudly said. "God…this is it."

Then came the sounds of steel colliding with stone from the city. The Black Widow, one of the Empire's most advanced war machines, came rushing out from the city and onto the beaches where the troop stood. It raised up and hissed in an almost primal way, but it was so cold and lifeless. The large red eyeball on its front panel glowed, as if it sensed easy prey for the taking. After that display it stood there on all four steel legs, silent. Squall was slowly inching his way across the beach as they watched on.

"Go," he moaned. "Just…go."

Zell couldn't hear him, but he could see the pain in his eyes. Shaking his head as if to disagree, he stood in place. Seifer took this time to make a decision that would possibly affect the way his life would proceed. He just prayed that this was the right one.

"…I'm goin' to get him."

Zell turned to him. "…What? You can't! That thing'll kill you!"

"You don't love him. Otherwise you'd be running out there to get him yourself." Seifer glanced his way quickly, then stared back at that hulking machine on the other side of the beach. "He's right in the middle. I might be able to run fast enough…"

"WHAT? That's bullshit! How dare you!"

Ignoring him, he stepped forward. "…Here I go."

As soon as Seifer moved toward Squall, the Black Widow also charged. Two strong forces, converging in on the same goal that met in the middle…it certainly was a challenge. While running, Seifer thought of how unlike him this was. About the time he sat down with Zell and revealed his innermost feelings…saying how he wanted to change his life…and now this. He was risking his own life for a man who hated him. Something inside of him changed for the better when Seifer had to make the decision to save Squall Leonhart.

~~~~~~~~~~

The four SeeD trainees, Xu and Quistis emerged from the transport, weary from that trial. The grayish skies and cool air of Balamb City felt so refreshing contrasted against the stagnant stench and atmosphere of Dollet. The Empire had deployed numerous soldiers to the city--more than originally foreseen--and it took their toll on all of them. It was nearly 4:00; it had been a long day. But everyone survived, so the fatigue was but of small consequence. Xu and Quistis stood facing the others as they informed them of their next plans.

"Well, here we are," Quistis said cheerfully. "Good job, all of you. It certainly was a challenge!"

"You can say that again!" Selphie moaned. "Gawd, Trabia was nothing like this! You people are so violent!"

"Ha-ha-ha! Yeah, you may be right, Selphie," she responded. "But think about what you fought for. I'm not on the confirmation squad, but I'd say that all of you have a good chance of becoming full-fledged SeeDs after that."

"Yes," Xu added. "It seems that our sources underestimated the extent to which Dollet had been overrun, but you did quite well to deal with the enemy. I don't think Cid could overlook that."

"Hmph, let's just hope so," Zell muttered, still angry at Seifer for his remark on the battlefield. "There're only so many things I can take in life!" Zell turned his attention to Squall in obvious worry, taking a look at his ankle. "Hey, is it all right? I can cast another Cure spell if ya want!"

"No, Zell…I'm fine. I'm only exhausted."

"All right, suit yourself," he said, ending the conversation.

Quistis spoke once more before she boarded the transport. Xu had already gone in, and she was standing inside of the doorway while she continued. "Oh yeah…you can do whatever you want right now. But you must return to Garden before sundown or you will become ineligible for graduation. Besides, it looks like it's going to rain soon." The tall blonde waved again and entered the ship. Once the propulsion system fired up, it sped off into the distance towards destinations unknown. The four watched as the boat sailed out of sight, then turned towards each other and spoke.

"So we have to walk back?" Zell said, upset. "That's not fair! Where did that car from Garden go?"

"Probably back to Garden, dummy," Seifer said with a smile.

"…Shut up." With that, he turned to Squall again. "Hey, we got the entire day to ourselves…what do ya wanna do?"

The dark-haired one responded with a simple shrug, putting a damper on Zell's hope for certain festivities. Squall turned towards Seifer, staring him into his eyes. The taller one didn't know what to make of this, but whatever it was he decided he wouldn't back down from it.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Seifer asked calmly. "I have something I need to do, so say it."

"…" Squall never tore his stare from him or flinched.

"Oh brother…not this again." Seifer started off past him, his boyfriend and the girl, eager to leave the whole lot of them behind. "Listen, the deal was that I work with you and make sure the both of you lived. I fulfilled my part of the bargain, so I don't want any lip from either of you. Got it?"

Squall stood silent, biting his lower lip. He had wanted to say something incendiary and hurtful, but now it wasn't anything like that. "…Seifer, it's not like that."

"It isn't? What is it then…you want to fight me or something?"

"No. Listen to me…" Squall looked like he was having a hard time getting the words out, but eventually he managed to convey his thoughts. "I…just wanted to thank you. For saving me."

"…?" Seifer didn't know what to make of this. He was wary; he thought it to be a trap. "You wanna thank me?"

"…Yes. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead right now."

Seifer honestly had no idea what to say about this, Here was Squall, his worst enemy in the world, giving him adulations. "All right…"

"…Just thought I'd tell you." Squall turned to Zell once more. "So, did you want to go see your mom before we headed back to Garden? I thought you'd like to visit her sometime."

Zell looked at him and shrugged. "If you want. Ma would like to see what my boyfriend looks like in person. She's not satisfied with the cheap photo I sent her!"

"All right then," Squall casually said. "Let's go." As the couple started off, they waved goodbye to the curly-haired Selphie. Squall acknowledged Seifer and nodded, turning around and slightly limping off into the distance of the city with Zell at his side. Selphie waved back once more as the both of them disappeared from sight in the mesh of dome-shaped hovels and towers. At that time, the girl and them tall man were left standing at the port in silence, accompanied by the sounds of gulls and the blowing of a slight wind.

Without acknowledging Selphie, Seifer began to walk off by himself. "Heeeeey," moaned the bouncy female. "Where are you going? I can't get back all by myself!"

"…" He didn't turn around to look at her and started off again.

"W-W-What? Hey, come on, come on!" she said, running up beside him to walk. "Don't ignore me! What's going on?"

"…Why don't you go back to Garden," he suggested, trying his best not to be offensive. "I got somethin' I need to do."

"I don't want to go back. It's too early, and I'm bored!"

"Well, sounds like a personal problem then."

"…Gee, you're really like Squall aren't you?"

Seifer stopped dead in his tracks and stared her down. "…I'm like Squall?"

Selphie put her hands on her hips and looked up into his face. "Yep. You sure are!"

He did nothing but look her in the eyes. The girl felt a little frightened by his menacing stare, but he soon reassured her that he didn't mean any harm. "…You're absolutely right."

"I…I am?" she said tentatively. "Um, I didn't mean to compare the two of you, but~~"

"It's fine. I've learned to accept it anyway," Seifer interrupted. Walking forward to the city, he let her know that it would be fine if she went with him. He didn't want to be alone anyway, but some appearances just had to be maintained. "Coming? I have to stop by the botanist's shop before I leave the city."

Selphie hopped up and down, giggling and running up beside him. "Hee-hee! Yeah!"

~~~~~~~~~~

The duo made a quick visit to the local botanist's shop, where Seifer bought a single red rose. Selphie bought an umbrella, since he indicated that they would be outside for a while, in the bad weather.

A little ways out of the city, a small hill sat. The seemingly infinite fields of grass swayed in the light breeze, lonesome trees' leaves motioned to and fro as darkening clouds glided overhead in gray, gloomy skies. A neatly trimmed path leading up this hill had been recently cut, giving way to a mysterious stone slab surrounded by yellow tulips and various other forms of flowers. Here, Seifer ascended up the muddied path to the slab which turned out to be the grave of an unknown person. Selphie followed behind a little ways, knowing that this was a tender and precious moment for him, and looked on as the man in blue knelt in front of the tombstone. Seifer could feel the beads of water raining down upon his head as damp locks of dirty-blonde hair hung partially over his eyes. Looking upwards to the skies, the rain poured down his face. Seifer desperately wished that it would be magical rain--able to cleanse his soul and heart of all of the tumult and grief that he had to endure over the past--but alas, it was only normal. He lowered his head to look at the tombstone, which had 'Ty Wilkens, 2415-2436' etched into its stone face. Below it was engraved one sole epitaph:

"Let light shine forth from this young star throughout eternity," Seifer said softly. "Your light, in my seemingly everlasting night sky….now I have no stars left to illuminate my path. I know, Ty…that I'm not alone in life. But it feels so dreadful without you here beside me. That in itself…an existence without your smile…without your smell, your voice or face seems to be an existence not worth suffering through." He shook his head in regret because he felt he was not there for him in his time of need. "You always encouraged me. I felt truly alive and human when I spent my free time with you. And nearly every waking moment I slaved away at that foul facility up in the hills, my thoughts about you were the only ones coursing through my mind." Seifer knelt there in front of the grave in silence for a moment, then brought the rose he carried with him to his face. "…A pity. This is all I have to show for your devotion and grace."

Seifer placed the rose on the tombstone so that it was standing straight up, propped up against its face. Selphie walked slowly over to him from behind and shielded him from the rain with her umbrella. It was all he could do to look back at her with tears mixed in with the mild rain with a wan smile as a show of gratitude. However, feeling that this offering was all he could muster up, Seifer stood.

"I could give you some more time ya know," Selphie said sincerely to him. "I'll wait 'cause there isn't any reason to head back so quick."

Seifer shook his head, kindly rejecting her offer. "Nah, it's fine. Sorry to make you buy that thing. Guess I'm not as strong as I thought, only being here for a few minutes."

"It's fine. Things like this can't be compared to umbrellas anyway…"

"Mmm, I see. Well, thanks for offering."

"It's fine, really. But hey…" Selphie wanted to ask him something, but found it hard to put together the words to inquire without offending him. "Was he…um…well, was he….special to you?"

"…He was very special to me," he replied, looking away.

The female was a little surprised at his answer. "Aah, well, I didn't mean to say it like that! Did I offend you? Sorry, sorry…"

"No…if I didn't want you to know, I wouldn't have asked you if you wanted to come with me. That's all."

Selphie thought about it for a while, then nodded in understanding. "Yes, but~~"

"Listen," he said, interrupting her in mid-sentence. "It's fine. It really is. We we're lovers, and that man was incredibly special to me in more ways than one. Right now I'm having trouble dealing with my life because I don't have him there to support me anymore." Stopping himself, Seifer thought about what he said and then retracted that statement. "No, that's not true. He's still in my life. He lives on, in my heart and soul…and that is what is making me strong. Yes…yes, that's right. Ty lives on inside of me. And I am no longer afraid of myself or what will happen to me because of 'that'."

"I'm happy for you Seifer," Selphie said. "I mean it; you're not such a bad person after all. It's not like what everyone at Garden says."

Seifer shook his head. "No, I am still a bad person. But we are all slightly bad people…it's just some are much, much worse than others. But I do have feelings, and that's why I came here to his grave today. To try and understand how to exist without him here in the physical world, and…to live.

"Hope?" Selphie asked him. "I know. It's why people live to see the next day, because they have hope that things will be better."

Seifer nodded in agreement. "That's right. 'Hope'. I just realized it recently…that this feeling is what drives people to do great things. I never knew what hope meant, but it's all coming to me a little at a time everyday. It's why I haven't committed suicide because of this accursed virus I have."

Seifer stood in front of the grave for a moment more, then backed off and walked away, passing Selphie who did nothing but look on. "H-Hey…you mean…" Selphie followed behind him, offering the man the protection of the umbrella. "That virus you were talking about. That isn't…"

Seifer stopped suddenly, which made the girl halt as well. "I don't hate him for what he did to me," he said, not turning around to look at her. "I know he didn't mean to. That's why even though I have it, I'm not angry at him. I know I'll eventually die an early death from its deteriorating effects, and that my body will debilitate into sickly nothingness someday. But I don't hate him."

"…"

Seifer realized who he was talking to and turned around to face the girl. "…Sorry. Didn't mean to depress you."

"It's your life and it's your time," was all Selphie said. "You can have a long life, even with HIV. I have a friend at Trabia who I still talk to who has the same thing, and she's still healthy. She has to take a bunch of pills and stuff, but it keeps her strong. So you don't have to talk like that."

Seifer nodded. "Strong girl. A lot stronger than me, perhaps."

"But you know what hope means now. So that's why you're just as strong as everyone else out there who has HIV and wants to live to see the next day." Selphie gazed into his eyes for a moment, then smiled really wide. "So cheer up, Mister Gloomy-Pants!"

He couldn't hold his smile back. Seifer finally knew now why virtually everyone at Garden got along with Selphie. "Heh. Mister Gloomy-Pants, huh…guess that'll work."

"Yeah, yeah!" she said enthusiastically. "Just be happy, and be honest with yourself! It may be tough, but you'll feel a whole lot better."

"Hmm, maybe. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."

Now Seifer was getting to know what hope really meant. It wasn't just surviving day to day, dealing with life's many problems as they came along, as he originally thought. It was also about keeping a positive outlook on life, honesty and not succumbing to those feelings that tell a person that his or her existence was not worth living. The man he loved in life had faded from the physical world, and Seifer concluded that since his support was gone he could not break through his problems. But as the last few days passed, he thought about all of the events that had transpired around him. The beating of Zell…the discovery of the fatal virus within his own body…his near-expulsion from Garden. Seifer admitted that some of it was brought upon himself by his own doing. However, with his decision to change, it became abundantly clear that not everything was so bad. He knew that he had a second chance to mend fences with everyone he had wronged. And mend fences he would.

In order to make the next step, he concluded, he had to admit his wrongs. And that is exactly what he planned on doing. Graduation or not, tonight he would attend the SeeD gala to make a very special admission to the entire school…


	13. End Of Solace

Revolver And Friend: End Of Solace  
  
  
  
  
  
A light tapping could be heard behind Squall's locked dorm room sliding doors. It was most likely Zell he thought, as he stood in the bathroom and ran some hair gel through his hair while brushing his teeth at the same time. After a few seconds, the tapping turned into an outright banging.  
  
"Hey, Squall!" a familiar voice yelled out. "Get your ass over here and unlock this door right now!"  
  
"Yeah yeah," he countered under his breath, spitting foam into the sink. "Coming."  
  
Walking out of the bathroom, Squall hit a red button on a panel beside the sliding doors, which automatically allowed them to open. Zell walked right in while his boyfriend snatched his SeeD uniform top off of the back of his chair at his desk. Needless to say, the blonde wasn't too enthused by his greeting--or lack thereof.  
  
"Nice. Real nice," Zell said sardonically; Squall's back turned toward him. "I hope you won't treat me this way through the entire dance. I just may have to find a new boyfriend if you keep this up."  
  
"Sorry, in a hurry. Say can you hand me that comb in the bathroom?" Squall asked.  
  
"Wha…get it yourself! I'm not your maid!"  
  
The dark-haired youth turned to him, rolling his eyes in the process. "Whatever."  
  
"Oh brother…not that 'whatever' crap again! I thought you were trying to give that up!"  
  
"I am. I only do it now to annoy you."  
  
"…" Zell grit his teeth at him, giving the other boy pleasure in knowing he succeeded. Squall flashed a small grin at him and left his living room, going back into the bathroom. Zell followed right behind and talked to him while he ran a comb through his hair. It wasn't until then that he noticed how much bigger his dorm was then his.  
  
"Damn!" Zell exclaimed. "Your dorm is bigger than mine! How in the world did that happen? I thought all SeeD dormitories were the same size!"  
  
"Heh. It's because I did better in the Dollet exam than you did," Squall sardonically said, staring at him through the mirror. "They don't hand out these things like they're toys. You earn them. It's really just a sign of rank."  
  
"What are you talking about…rank? I did better than you, now that you mention it! So don't say things like that!"  
  
Squall picked up a capsule of breath spray and spritzed a little into his mouth as he turned to Zell. "I know. I lied to annoy you; it's really random selection."  
  
"Grr…"  
  
"Ha-ha-ha!"  
  
"…I hate you."  
  
"You love me," was all he said he pushed his way past Zell. "Admit it."  
  
Now in Squall's bedroom, he shoved some textbooks and sheets around on the desk away, searching for the official pin that signified graduation to the group held up to the utmost prestige. All SeeDs needed to have it on them, or else they would automatically drop a rank on instructor or Headmaster's sight.  
  
"Where is it…it isn't here?" Squall asked himself. "I don't want to drop a rank already!"  
  
"Hey, over here…looking for this?"  
  
The young man behind him had sat down on his bed, flashing a small, yet gleaming bird-shaped emblem between his fingers. "You know," Zell said slyly. "It could be big trouble if this were to…I don't know…..disappear or something. I hear all the SeeDs needs it, 'cause it shows you're a reliable warrior or something."  
  
Squall ended up gritting his teeth at him in return, stepping over to get the pin from him. "C'mon, don't play around like this~~"  
  
"A-ha! Gotcha now!"  
  
In an instant, the shorter male grabbed the other's arm, heaved him onto the bed and got on top of him, pinning Squall under his small frame. His strength never ceased to amaze the brunet-haired one; that and his kind & cheerful personality was what delighted him.  
  
"Hah-hah-hah, come on, now! The dance!" Squall said. "You want to now?"  
  
"No…I know we have to go. But even still, it's tough to resist."  
  
"For you, it is. Now give that to me." Squall reached for the pin, but Zell pulled it away from him once again. "You want to play games, hmm?" Squall inquired playfully.  
  
"I have a present for you," Zell told him. "It's great. You'll be thrilled tonight."  
  
"A present, you say? What, I don't get to see it now?"  
  
"It'll be fine! I wanted to wait until we were alone to show it to you; it means a lot to me, and I don't want to do it in public." Zell flashed a little grin at him, almost in a mischievous manner. "Humor me?"  
  
::sigh:: "All right, I can wait for it. Now…may I have that pin please?"  
  
At that, Zell gave the bird emblem back to Squall, as he nonchalantly removed himself from his boyfriend's frame. Squall got up, hooked the pin onto his left breast pocket on his top and smiled. "Ready?"  
  
"Ready," Zell said. "Let's have a great time!"  
  
  
  
The SeeD ball. Fireworks had been ignited and let loose into the open skies in a rainbow-colored blaze of fire over the glass dome of the encased terrace, pleasing the patrons invited to celebrate this glorious event. Ivy vines grew sparsely on the walls, giving the place a bit of a natural feel. Students were drinking, laughing and living it up here; basking in the many forms of entertainment Garden had to offer. A stage covered in red trimmings has been set up at the main end of the terrace with a team of musicians performing with various stringed and woodwind instruments. Florid, enchanting music moved through the air as SeeD graduates danced the night away.  
  
Through double doors, Squall and Zell entered the festivities, side by side. Their eyes scanned the general vicinity of the area, taking in the atmosphere of what had been offered to them as reward for graduating the military school.  
  
"Impressive!" Zell exclaimed. "Look at everyone dancing and having fun!" Zell turned to his partner with a big smile; his hand firmly gripping his in the process. "We're dancing tonight!"  
  
"W-Wha? Hey…" It seemed too late, as the shorter one was already dragging him out to the middle of the terrace. Squall was taken aback at the thought of baring it all on the dance floor in front of his peers. He didn't know how to dance. "We can't do this!" Squall told him. "I don't want to dance. Please, let's just go somewhere and have a seat."  
  
"Aww, are you joking? You mean we won't dance?"  
  
"Well, err…later, maybe?"  
  
Zell dropped Squall's arm immediately, quite angry at this point. Through the fancy music, instruments and people swaying side to side around them, no one seemed to notice them. "C'mon! It won't be THAT bad…I'll cover for you if you do something wrong. I'll lead, and you follow, and then everything will be fine!"  
  
"…Err…"  
  
"What? I'll help you…eh?" Zell cocked his head an looked at him strangely, then after a few moments a wide grin appeared on his face. "…I got it. You can't dance, can you?"  
  
"…!"  
  
"Heh-heh-heh, you can't can you? That's why you don't want to go out there!"  
  
"…Do you plan on rubbing this in my face all night?" Squall asked him in an embarrassed manner. "I can go back to my dorm and just skip the entire blasted thing."  
  
"Ha, all right…all right, come on. I'll lead, and it'll be fine." Zell grabbed his hand again and started to drag him out to the dance floor. "I won't drop you or anything, so don't be afraid!"  
  
"Umm…'drop' me? What are you going to do; throw me into the air an do some fancy stuff?"  
  
"Heh-heh…not unless you want me to!"  
  
"…"  
  
And with that, the duo went out to party. One hesitant and reserved; the other busting with energy and outgoing…two completely different personalities acting as one. As the night progressed, more and more couples headed out onto the dance floor to strut their stuff in what would turn out to be the most celebrated night in the history of Balamb Garden's erection. The graduation of SeeD was not to be dismissed without reward, because all of these wonderful students put something into Garden. Conviction, strength, intelligence…all of these traits came together on this night.  
  
Especially for one couple in particular.  
  
The two remained out on the dance floor for quite some time, with only each other to rely on for support. It turned out that Zell himself wasn't such a great dancer after all. But with caution and a dash of perseverance, he learned quickly. Squall gently held him, leading his companion's body with his own while they both swung to and fro in tune to the masterful sounds of percussion in the air…all the while bolstering each other's resolve with softened smiles. Nothing could ruin this night, they both thought, as they danced for what was seemingly forever.  
  
~~~  
  
Meanwhile, more guests were arriving. The double doors opened up wide to expose them to the scene out on the terrace. Three of them to be exact; a man of brownish hue and a woman his opposite, each in fine dress…flanking their leader, who had made sure to place his trademark cocky grin on for this occasion. With a red rose tailored onto the right breast of his SeeD uniform and a special purpose burning within, the leader walked in with attitude.  
  
"This is one HELL of a gala, ya know?!" Raijin commented gleefully, observing the environs around him. "Damn, Seifer…sort of makes me wish I was a SeeD!"  
  
Fujin turned and lightly slapped her counterpart in the head. "RAIJIN. TRAIN, MAYBE NEXT YEAR."  
  
"Oww, man! Hey, that hurt, ya know?! And plus, I can do anything that these SeeD guys can do…10 times better, even!"  
  
"…" Fujin developed a puzzled look on her face. "HURT? HARDHEADED. HURT, HOW?"  
  
"…"  
  
"RAIJIN!" Fujin said, shaking him. "JOKE! JUST JOKE!"  
  
"…You're not nice, ya know…damn."  
  
"Ha-ha-ha," Seifer laughed out loud, obviously pleased with this. "She has a point, Raijin. Train a little harder, and you could easily become SeeD. It's simple, really…someone of your caliber could make it easily."  
  
"If ya say so, oww…" Raijin moaned. "Fujin, ya hit too hard for your own good, ya know?!"  
  
"SENSITIVE."  
  
It was true. He couldn't very well argue with her; she had him pegged. "Yeah…so anyway Seifer. Ya think you can hook me up in a SeeD test?!"  
  
Seifer shook his head and grinned. "Sorry man, this is something you have to do on your own. No one helped me, and I would expect the same from you when the fated time arrived. I have faith that you'd be able to pull it off though. You too, Fujin." As he talked, the musical instruments in the background came to a halt, followed by the applause of the crowd. Almost as if this were his cue, he kindly patted his friend on the shoulder and bid his goodbyes to join the rest of the party, since non-SeeDs were not allowed to attend. "I'll meet up with you guys after the party back at my dorm. Until then…"  
  
Seifer parted company with his friends with a wave, disappearing into the dancing & mingling graduates of Garden. He regretted the fact that the ones who supported him the most in his sometimes turbulent journey to graduate from the academy could not stay to celebrate with him this joyous occasion. Raijin and Fujin were faithful allies; the kind of people, he felt, you could count on to be there when the chips were down.  
  
True friends, to him. The only two he ever had in his life.  
  
But in a way, now that they were gone, what he was going to do tonight would be much easier to accomplish. Aside from the few faces he barely recognized from classes pre-SeeDdom, it didn't matter. That oath he made earlier in the day was going to be fulfilled this starry night, under the banner of promise and truthfulness. He didn't care if he succeeded or not; just that he wanted his wishes to be out in the open, where the object of his affection could see. Seifer's mind had been focused on one person in the crowd, and was holding steadfast as he began his search for the one in the crowd…  
  
~~~  
  
"I'm shocked; you really picked up on your dance steps at the end of the song!"  
  
Squall rubbed the back of his head in a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure, content to receive a compliment from Zell. "It was nothing, I guess…you did good too."  
  
"Heh, not nearly as good as you did! If I knew that your competitive nature ran into dancing also, I'd push you even further!"  
  
"Aah, yeah…well, it certainly was tough." Squall really wanted to get off of the dance floor, so he decided to pose his request gently. "Um, would it be too much if we went to sit down somewhere…? It's getting a little hot being in the middle of this tangled mesh of bodies."  
  
Zell smiled and nodded in agreement, He, too, had something else in mind…and he planned on doing it in front of all of these people, instead of in closed quarters alone with him. Here, he thought, it would make it even more special. "I thought you'd never ask."  
  
And so they had a seat at a nearby empty table for two, covered in white tablecloth, just off the edge of the tan-marble dance floor. Zell pulled out the ebony chair for Squall, allowing to take a seat first, then sat down at the opposite end himself. Almost immediately after they took their seats, a pretty young caterer arrived with their appetizer. She placed the basket of breadsticks on the middle of the table and pulled out a small notepad from the pocket of her slacks.  
  
"What would you care to have tonight, sires?" the caterer asked them both.  
  
"Eh? Sires…?" Zell asked curiously, looking up at her. "Pretty formal."  
  
The woman giggled at him. "I'm sorry about that; it's a bad habit of mine. I just enjoy that word, 'sire'. You know how you unconsciously say things sometimes, right? Well, it's that way with me."  
  
"Mmm, yeah," Zell understandably agreed; an obvious smirk on his face as he glanced over at Squall, who caught onto what he meant. "It's fine. So, um…what's on the menu?"  
  
"Anything you want. We brought extra for tonight."  
  
"I see, I see. Any hot dogs?"  
  
Squall slapped his forehead in disbelief at what he heard just now. "Hot dogs? Here, of all places? Don't you want anything fancier?"  
  
The blonde looked over at him and shrugged. "She DID say anything. And that's what I'm in the mood for."  
  
"…"  
  
"Heh, so that's how it is. So, could I get one, miss?"  
  
The woman smiled warmly at him and nodded. "A little strange for an order…but yeah, we have hot dogs."  
  
"I'll take two," he said quickly afterwards.  
  
"Ha-ha-ha, all right. Hot dogs for you. And you, sire?"  
  
"…Hm? Oh no, I'm all right. I'm not hungry."  
  
"Well, okay. A request of two hot dogs. I'll get to work on them right away."  
  
With that, she walked off, leaving them alone. The both of them began to talk about random things--classes, training, studies, etc.--to pas the time as they waited on Zell's order. After around ten minutes of conversation, the topic turned to what happened earlier in the day. Squall had no idea, but his mate was making a concerted effort at drawing this dialogue towards a specific path.  
  
"I don't know why I couldn't move fast enough to save you back there…in Dollet," Zell commented with a tinge of regret in his voice. "I wasn't scared or anything, but…I don't know. I really don't have an answer why I did what I did. Or should it be what I *didn't* do."  
  
"Why are you feeling guilty?" Squall asked him sincerely. "I should've been in better training condition. If I had been, that fall wouldn't have taken place. I'll end up spending even more time in the facility and in the field, all due to that little mishap…don't beat yourself up over it. There's no one to blame but myself."  
  
"No…no, come on. I brought this up because what we were talking about in the morning makes it even worse. We we're talking about death and our futures and stuff…and you almost died today!"  
  
Squall wondered what he was getting at here. "Are you trying to say that this was an omen or something? Because if that's what it is, you're wrong."  
  
"No, that is the last thing I'm trying to say, Squall. Trust me on that."  
  
"Then…?"  
  
Zell lowered his head, but kept on speaking to him in the process. "::sigh:: I wasn't afraid then, but…I am now."  
  
"…Is that so? What's wrong?"  
  
"…"  
  
"It's fine," Squall told him. "I'm taking this seriously too; all of this is incredibly morbid now that you've mentioned it. Yes, I can understand why you'd be thinking about me…err, us, dying someday. I know how you feel, but that doesn't mean it's anything to worry about." Squall shook his head, obviously in a bind to properly get out the correct words at this time. "I don't even know what to say to you; that's how terrible I am at these types of things."  
  
Zell managed a little grin and attempted to support him. They were both a little uneasy right now, but they both tried their best. Also, Zell felt it necessary to cross this hurdle in order for his plan to succeed. "I love you, Squall. I really do. And that's why…"  
  
"…" Now Squall felt like this was going into uncharted territory. With a bit of apprehension, he pursued onward though, despite the fears in his heart. "…Why what?"  
  
It seemed like time itself, after that moment, stood still for the both of them. After this, Zell proceeded to slowly take out a tiny black box from the pocket of his slacks. He had hoped that he was doing the right thing by proceeding to offer himself in the form of a jewel he had bought earlier in the day at Balamb, but there was a constant question in his mind of whether this could this possibly ease both of their fears. Taking a large risk, he got up out of his chair, stepped over to Squall and knelt upon one knee.  
  
"…! Oh…oh, you're not…" Squall gasped, in shock. He had feared that it was something horribly unfathomable that Zell wanted to tell him, but this…he couldn't believe what was happening. As Zell silently placed the ring on Squall's middle finger on his right hand, the brunet continued on. "Oh my goodness…you're not…"  
  
"Squall," Zell said, looking up at him. "I know what you said earlier. About not rushing things to meet our goals and all that. And I'm not rushing anything, because I want to respect your wishes. But…I just want this relationship to mean something. I don't want to lose you to anyone or anything, Squall, so…I want you to know I'm being serious about our entire relationship." Zell smiled at him, easing his mate's fears even further. "I want to keep you near…"  
  
Squall was absolutely speechless. His mouth agape, all that escaped were a few cut-off syllables of words of disbelief. Was he proposing to him? Was he serious?  
  
"I…but…how could you…I can't believe this!"  
  
Zell took the empty box, placed it in his pocket once again and stood straight up. Squall continuously eyed the ring on his finger, still in shock to say anything.  
  
"I'll give you time to think about it," Zell told him calmly. "I know, it seems like it's a huge rush. But I don't want to lose you."  
  
"…I can't believe this…" Squall hazily said, gazing at the ring. His heart was positively overflowing with happiness.  
  
"Err…I have to use the restroom," Zell said all of a sudden. Squall heard him, but it didn't look like he 'heard' him. "Wait for me at your dorm room. I know you're still in shock and stuff, but I'd like to explain my feelings to you some more, in private."  
  
Squall looked up to see Zell hastily leaving to the restroom. He had heard everything he said and understood. And he decided that he did want to speak with him some more. But the ring he just received looked great!  
  
~~~  
  
Zell had just exited the terrace through the double doors, eager to get out of there for a breath of fresh air. However, someone had seen him. Someone, out of all of the people who either didn't care anymore or didn't notice, watched the entire thing between the two youths at a distance. With an equally honorable purpose, at least involving his own feelings, this man followed Zell out of the dance hall.  
  
"No more running, Seifer," he thought to himself. "I must be honest to myself…"  
  
~~~  
  
Zell had been gone from the hall for what seemed to be around thirty minutes, simply wandering the halls of Garden. He thought about all of the things that happened today, and especially about the proposal he offered Squall to be his eternal partner. His nervousness got the better of him, but fortunately it was after he had finished what he needed to do…otherwise he would've had to tell him eventually his secret.  
  
Zell wasn't sure if he loved Squall.  
  
He proposed to him solely to keep him in the relationship…to keep him near.  
  
Of course, he wanted desperately to love him. Squall seemed strong, he knew he was smart…and in a way he thought the young man was also caring, even though he never showed his emotions to anyone. All of these qualities were what Zell looked for in a partner…how could he go wrong if the one he thought he loved fit the bill? It was still relatively fresh; they had not been together for long, yet Zell saw something in him from day one he liked.  
  
But then…why did he feel so dirty for lying to him? Could he learn the answer to his problems with him in time and reconsolidate the relationship?  
  
Or was it something else…?  
  
~~~  
  
Eventually Zell found his way to the training facility inside of Garden. The monster force fields had been activated tonight, which meant that there were no monsters wandering about. Normally, he wouldn't appreciate something like this, but Zell didn't really feel like fighting tonight.  
  
Past winding trees and steel paths, he went…until he made it to a solitary enclosure deep within the facility. A setup where Garden students met regularly, it was a place exposed to the open skies above. Zell noticed how the stars in the sky checkered the midnight blue sky…and things like this he never noticed unless he had been engulfed in deep thought.  
  
Zell walked over to the railing of the curved steel balcony; his black dress shoes clanging against the iron bars of the flooring. As he placed his hand son the railing, he looked up into the sky and spoke out loudly about what happened a little while ago.  
  
"Damnit! Why'd I have to lie to him? Why can't I just tell him how I really feel…I can't string him along like he's some rag doll forever! Squall deserves better than this, but I don't know if I can give it to him! Aagh!"  
  
"I found you," a male voice emanated from places unknown.  
  
Zell jumped in shock at the thought of someone overhearing him. He whipped around, only to see a tall form partially obscured by darkness. The man was wearing a SeeD uniform, as the blond could tell, but the torso and the face were shrouded by darkness.  
  
"Who is it?" Zell sternly asked. "Leave me alone. I need some time to think."  
  
"But what's wrong with your relationship with Squall? You said you lied…?"  
  
"No, I…" Zell was going to explain, but he concluded that revealing secrets to unknown strangers could be a mistake in this case. "Grr! Didn't you hear me? I said scram! And forget everything you heard too!" Zell stepped forward, annoyed with this pesky visitor. "Leave! Or else I'll force you to leave!"  
  
"But I have something I need to tell you," said the voice. "One minute, please."  
  
Zell was going to tell him off again, but the mystery man stepped forward before he could speak. This person turned out to be no one other than the person who was his rival, if not his mortal enemy…the person who inflicted upon him physical and mental scars that would never have a chance of healing. Zell's eyes drew up from the bottom of him to the chest…and finally to the face to find out who had spied on him. This was the very last person he thought he'd see in a place like this…  
  
"Seifer…what do you want?" Zell asked him.  
  
As he spoke, Seifer walked past him and leaned his back on the railing of the balcony. The taller one stared into his eyes as he reached his left hand into the pocket of his slacks to take out a tiny blue box.  
  
"Hey!" Zell almost yelled at him. "What do you want from me, huh? Shouldn't you be back at the ball partying with your friends or something?"  
  
"Shhh," was Seifer's response as he removed a ring from the box. "Please…don't move. I won't hurt you. I just want to do this for my own sake…I must be honest."  
  
"…?" The hand-to-hand combatant eyed him curiously as this man walked over to him, took Zell's left hand into his and placed the reddish jewel on his middle finger. "Oh you have GOT to be kidding me! You…you think that I~~"  
  
"Shhh," Seifer hissed again. Zell obeyed his wishes for reasons he couldn't quite explain; he felt a tinge of warmth beginning to rise in his body. He unconsciously began to shake mildly as Seifer let his hand go. At that point, the gunblade wielder stared softly into his eyes, almost as if to convey a feeling of contentment and gratification at being able to do this. Seifer began to quiver as well, nervous at what he was about to partake in.  
  
"Seifer, I~~"  
  
"Zell…I…this is tough for me. I'm practically shaking."  
  
"…Uh…I d-don't know what to say."  
  
"I'll speak then," Seifer replied. "I don't expect anything to come out of this. If you want, you can hit me with your fists if you'd like, just for wasting your time. Or for doing something so odd like this out of the blue. I don't have high hopes that I'll get what I want…but at least I can tell you how I feel…about you…now that I've truly found who and what I am."  
  
"…Seifer, please don't…do this," he said, turning his head away from Seifer's gaze.  
  
"No, I have to. I have to do this, because if I don't, it'll be one more mistake in the sky-high tower of mistakes I've already made. I can't live like a prisoner anymore…"  
  
"Aah, I…" Zell fumbled word-wise. His eyes we're widened in anticipation, almost as if he knew what was about to take place.  
  
"Please…let me do this," he rasped, drawing his hand to Zell's cheek to return his sight to him. "…Then you can do whatever you want from now on. I won't blame you, whatever decision you make."  
  
Seifer began to slowly buy shakily close the gap between his face and Zell's, inch by inch. They both knew what was going to occur right now, and neither of them wanted it to stop. Under an unsaid from of communication between the both of them, the duo brought each other closer with a strong hug…their hands slowly enclosing the others' body, bringing their bodies and faces into a lock of embrace. Their inhibitions towards each other all but melted away, as the both of them lost all track of time within their passionate embrace.   
  
~~~  
  
Squall had come to the training facility based on information that someone saw his lover enter a while ago. He had already made it to the steel enclosure and was positively busting as he gawked at his ring repeatedly. As he turned the final corner to the meeting place, he boasted out loud about how he planned to accept Zell's proposal.  
  
"I'll do it, Zell! I was shocked when you placed the ring on my finger, but I'll~~"  
  
An emotional stake had just been driven through his heart, shattering it into a million pieces. A fantasy life, crushed by the sight of his fiancée in a fiery kiss and embrace under the midnight skies, killed him emotionally. 


	14. Libra's Balance

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**Revolver And Friend: Libra's Balance**

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Squall couldn't believe his eyes. There he was, watching the man who had just proposed to him moments ago, kissing up on another man! The both of them lip-locked with eyes closed…as if they were a match made in heaven! What made it worse was that it was with his arch-nemesis, Seifer Almasy. Everything around him seemed to come to a grinding halt as he stood glued there in the entrance, watching them go at it. What cruel twist of fate had brought these three together like this?**

**His vision became clouded; his heart cloaked a veil of seething hatred. Millions of images of him doing hideous things to his enemy Seifer flooded his mind in a torrent of wandering thought. He was encroaching on Squall's personal space…his personal life. Not only did Squall see this as an attempt by Seifer to humiliate him, he saw it as an attempt to deny him his comfort How cruel he was to don the facade of passion in order to snare Zell. To go after the one whom he once hated to get at his enemy!**

**He couldn't think about his actions, or restrain his oncoming outburst. Every bit of existence seemed to crack upon its foundation around him. Like an uncontrolled, sudden conflagration of the soul he opened his mouth to break the couple's magical moment.**

**"Why? Why?!" Squall shrieked, his voice cracking under extreme anger. Seifer and Zell's extended kiss had been shattered by this sudden outburst, and they both whirled around to see him come out from the shadows yelling at them. "Why?! How could you do this to me? Why would you do this to me?! How could you betray me like this?!"**

**Seifer had been taken aback by his anger as his eyes snapped open in horror. "Squall, I didn't see you there!" He then instinctively apologized to him through actions by glancing at then backing away from Zell. "I never saw you there, man! I…didn't mean for it to happen like this."**

**"Shaddap!" Squall hissed, his voice lowering to a scathing tone. "You scoundrel! You goddamn devil in human flesh! Mere happenstance?! I'll show you what 'never meant to happen!'" Squall immediately charged the taller man and tackled him to the iron mesh ground, landing on top and hitting him with inaccurate punches thrown out of blind rage. "I'll kill you!" Squall hissed as he stopped attacking and gripped both his hands around Seifer's neck. Zell moved quickly to remove him from Seifer, but ended up getting elbowed back a bit.**

**"Errgh," Seifer gasped, looking for air. "I…am…"**

**"Die. Die, you wretch, die," he yelled back, eyes narrowing and mouth forming a evil smile as the pair of hands tightened around his victim's neck through unnatural strength formed by extreme emotion.**

**"Squall!" Zell exclaimed, getting off his knees to pull him off. He managed to pry his lover's hands off of Seifer's neck and drag Squall's frame off of him in a matter of seconds, even with all of the shock clouding his mind. This time, Zell rolled him over and pinned him in order to help calm him down. Seifer managed to rise up and gasp heavily to take in some air. "Squall! Squall, listen to me! I need to~~"**

**"You need to do nothing!" he snapped back, interrupting his sentence and pushing him off of his own body.**

**The darker-haired man got back up and tried to charge at a prone Seifer once again but Zell saw it coming, got up from the ground and grabbed him from behind. in an unconscious state of fury Squall broke Zell's hold on him, whirled around and backhanded him in the face, knocking him to the ground. Squall stared at him lying there for a moment and breathed heavily, not even knowing what he had just done, then turned around and sucker-punched Seifer in the mouth in a continuation of his geyser of fury. Seifer flinched as Squall tackled him again and resumed his choke hold.**

**"Die. Die, you…!"**

**"Errgh, Squall…listen to me…" Seifer managed to gasp as the grip tightened around his neck yet again. "I…can't breathe."**

**"That's the point!" Squall sneered in a rage.**

**"Urrgh….Squall!" Zell exclaimed as he got up from the ground and attempted to pull him off of Seifer yet again from behind. "Damnit, come on! This isn't right!"**

**After a moment of furious emotion, Squall realized what he was doing and willingly released his grip on Seifer. Zell fell over due to too much force, not expecting him to give up and go slack. What exactly had he been doing? All he knew was that he was sitting atop of the taller man, looking down at a man whose mouth was bleeding and lip was split. "You aren't even worth the spitball you deserve, pig," Squall told him in a suddenly reserved voice as he got up and resigned himself to a more civilized state of thinking. Turning around, he kneeled and helped Zell up from off of the ground. As they both came to their feet, Zell unexpectedly slapped Squall in the face for that outburst. He didn't expect it, was knocked back a bit due to the shock and the force behind the blow.**

**"Squall, what in god's name did you think you were doing?" he yelled while extending his arms in frustration. He was now getting in his face in order to be heard. "Just calm down! I need to explain something to you!"**

**"Explain what?" he retorted in a tone of bitterness, his steely eyes meeting that of Zell's at a glance as he tended to the cheek that had been struck. "The fact that I find you all the way down here, kissing up on my sworn enemy in some sort of steal-away forbidden love? The fact that you left me by myself wondering what your true intentions are by myself in the dance hall while you gallivanted down here to be with 'him'?" Squall stole a wicked glance ad looked off to the right at Seifer, who did not see it and was just now getting up while holding the lower part of his mouth. "Yeah, that's real classy of you Seifer," he resumed while shifting his stare back to Zell. "You hate me so much that you'd fake interest in him in order to personally hurt me. And what makes it worse is that even through everything you've suffered, you fell for him."**

**Zell felt stung by his words an took a step backward, eyes widened. "I never fell for it! I never expected to meet him down here! I really came down here to get some fresh air and to think about what I asked you to do! Seifer came on to me, yeah. But~~"**

**"But…? But what? You never pushed him away. I SAW you two down here Can you deny that, or do you want to continue to swing on the hinges of fantasy land?"**

**"…" Zell hung his head, unable to get through to him with that explanation. He knew he wasn't going for it.**

**Squall took his lack of rebuttal as conformation. He proceeded to make his way left to the portal, leaving them behind to themselves. All he wanted now was to get out of here…to be by himself. It really tore him up inside to the extent they would never know.**

**"Hey, wait man!" Seifer demanded of him.**

**"Whatever," was all he said to him as he turned around to look at Zell once more. And here…take your trinket back." He yanked off the jewel-encrusted ring wrapped around his middle finger, tossed it at Zell's chest--which he caught as it bounced off of him--and smirked laconically. "This has become meaningless, AND ridiculous. I've no time for liars and cheats in my life."**

**And with that last jab, he walked off.**

**~~~**

**He didn't know how long it has been since he had gotten into that scuffle with Seifer All he had been doing is roaming the Garden, trying to get his mind off of the events that had just transpired. Eventually taking the time to stop and notice where he was--the dimmed halls of the Garden center in front of the elevators--Squall saw through the illuminated reflection off of the pond that his SeeD uniform had been torn is several places. The sleeve was partially hanging off. "Great. Just great," he muttered, observing the damage to the uniform. "How am I going to explain this one away to the Garden Faculty? Getting in a fight on the day of the SeeD reception? I'd say that ranks as dimwitted."**

**Squall sighed, wishing that he had never even walked in on the both of them, and sat down on a nearby bench. His sense of depth seemed to be distorted as he arched his head over the edge and stared at the high ceiling. Perhaps it was the anger still getting to him…he couldn't take his mind off of the incident. It percolated just under the surface of his thoughts, waiting to explode outward. Squall's mind became infected with a seed of bitterness due to this act of cheating between lovers. Zell, with Seifer. How ludicrous. How disrespectful.**

**"How pathetic," he said in an attempt to reassure himself. "We're all pathetic."**

**He remained there on the bench for a few more moments, lamenting the night's events. Then decided to get up and return to the dormitory. If anything could calm his mind and soul right now, he thought, it would be a good night's sleep. Right as got up he heard a set of footsteps. Then came a familiar silhouette making its way jogging around the bend toward his position. As the person neared, it became clear to him who it was.**

**"Hi, Squall!" Selphie cheerily said in her familiar tone, waving at him. "I thought I heard someone mumbling over here!"**

**"Oh god. Not her!" he bemoaned to himself in his mind as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.**

**"Heeey, what's going on? Why are you out here all by yourself like this? The party's still in full swing. Can you believe it?" The girl then noticed the ripped and tattered uniform he was wearing. "Wow, what happened to you?"**

**Squall shook his head at her, saying nothing. He then attempted to walk past her, but she locked onto his arm to stop him from leaving with both of hers. Squall jerked back in surprise.**

**"H-Hey!" he exclaimed at her.**

**"Well, you sure are being a meanie tonight!" she playfully said to him. "But then again, I suppose it's not too different from any other day. Say…if you don't want to talk to me, then fine. But can't you at least say 'hi' or something? It's sort of rude."**

**"…"**

**"Umm, is something the matter?"**

**He could hardly believe it. The nerve of her to try and restrain him, especially what had happened to him tonight! Something within him had snapped. "Rude, you say?" he replied while smiling mockingly. "I'm just not in the mood for your silly games tonight." Squall then forcefully released his arm from her grasp and started off. "Goodnight."**

**"Games?" she asked quizzically.**

**"You're too nice for your own good," he suddenly said while turning to snap at her. "And you're also too nosy."**

**"Huh?! Wait a minute! That's not a nice thing to say!"**

**"Hmph. You also know that…no one likes your attitude."**

**Selphie has been taken aback by his words. "W-What?! MY attitude?" she gasped.**

**"No one likes you!" he yelled at her, plan in mind. "You're too happy! You're always so euphoric. Everyone makes fun of you behind your back because they think you're on drugs or something. It's unnatural."**

**"That's…not true!" she whined while buying into his words. "It's not true! It's not!"**

**"Oh, but it is," he reiterated, closing in on her. "Frankly, I can't blame them. You always think you can help others. Do you think you're some sort of heroine, coming to the rescue all the time? Tch, how elitist. You can't possibly help everyone, or understand their feelings. Regardless of your actions, there will always be those who will feel pain and sorrow."**

**"But, I didn't~~"**

**"You offend me. You offend everyone." Squall interrupted, realizing what pain his words would inflict upon her. An evil scowl appeared on his face. "But you may continue. Just go on, oblivious to what the student body thinks of you. Go on and continue spearheading that Garden musical or whatever it is that you're involved in. I just want you to ponder this tidbit of thought: at the end of the day, who will care? Certainly not I."**

**He stared her down, waiting for it. And sure enough, Squall saw it happen. Selphie had begin to cry. He had successfully broken her spirit. However, the pleasure he expected to feel by releasing his anger on someone--anyone, did not materialize. All that welled up inside of him was the heavy realization that he had set out to emotionally hurt someone innocent in order to make himself feel better. What he had just done was reprehensible. Did he really believe that making someone else feel bad would make himself feel better? What had crossed his mind in order for hi to do this? Immediately after realizing the extent of his actions, Squall offered himself to make her feel better.**

**"Aah. Listen…Selphie. I'm sorry about what I said."**

**"Get away from me!" she sobbed as she knocked his hand away. backing off and running away towards the front gates.**

**What had he done? He initially attempted to run after her to try and remedy the situation, but stopped in his tracks after a few steps. What could he do, after all? Cheer her up?**

**The girl eventually faded away in the distance, as all he could do was watch her go. Had this bitterness caused him to go this far? Hurting others to make yourself feel better? Dragging someone else down to your level in order to reaffirm your own malcontent? Of course. He recalled someone like that. The reality and the scope of what he had just done seemed to weigh heavily on his conscience. As did the consequences, evidenced by the girl whose fiery dreams and desires had been snuffed out a minute ago. Looking back at it now, he couldn't even logically explain to himself the reasoning.**

**"The last thing I want is to end up in a mindset like him. Like a bully," Squall told himself. He didn't want to end up like 'him'. "I'm…so tired."**

**Fearing the worst, he decided to make haste back to his dorm room to retire.**

**~~~~~~~~~~**

**The sounds of groups of people from the reception heading back to their dorms could barely be heard through the dorms, which meant the raucousness was quite loud out there. Squall lay naked in his bed spread out, staring at the steel sliding doors of his room leading to the halls, realizing the emptiness he was feeling had been caused by a certain someone not lying next to him. His mind was tired but also very active; images of what Zell and Seifer had been secretly doing along with what he had done to Selphie barraged his thought process like a bad movie. He hadn't the energy to crane his head to check the time. For all he knew, he could've been laying there for hours. But he couldn't sleep.**

**Maybe he had been unconsciously waiting for Zell to come in…for him to enter the #PIN to his dorm and enter. But why? He'd struck him earlier. Could he forgive him?**

**"Blast it all," Squall muttered as he managed to toss a pillow across the room at the door. "Forget it. I'm going to bed."**

**As he turned over and covered himself with a sheet, a light tapping was heard. Snapping to attention, Squall immediately threw off the sheet and sat up staring at the door. Could it be? Could it be him?**

**A red light above the installed speaker on the right side of the door--a perk for all SeeDs living in the Garden used to converse between the outside and inside--lit up.**

**"Hey," a calm, yet familiar voice spoke through the filter. "Anyone in there?"**

**That was all he needed, as Squall quickly rushed to the door to converse. He nearly broke the red button used to reply by trying to find it in the dim light, pushing it too hard in his fervor.**

**"Hi," Squall replied, gulping and not sure of what to say. "Err…I'm surprised you came."**

**"Yeah, well. Why wouldn't I come? I said I needed to explain it to you."**

**"Listen, Zell. Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I'm sorry I struck you. I don't know what came over me. It was probably the anger of seeing him with his dirty hands on you. At the time, it was all like a blur. I just don't want there to be big consequences for that. You don't have to forgive me or anything if you don't want to, because I probably deserve any punishment coming to me."**

**"Hey, hey. Hold it," Zell told him, chuckling a bit. "Let's take one thing at a time, man."**

**"…S-Sorry," Squall sheepishly replied.**

**"It's fine."**

**"…But about what he did," Squall asked. "Did he force you to do it?"**

**"…" A definite sigh of frustration could be heard through the speaker.**

**"It's true…isn't it?"**

**"…No. Listen, Squall. Could I come in? I need to explain it to you in person. I feel like I'm in a big confessional out here talking to you like this." Zell's voice became serious, as he could tell.**

**Squall opened the door by releasing the lock manually. The sliding panels shifted, briefly opening then closing as Zell made his way into the room and walked past Squall, still wearing his uniform. He switched on a lamp on the nightstand, sat down on his bed and stared at the brunet in front of him looking back just as intently.**

**"Not decent, I see." Zell said with a wry smile, yet maintaining a certain urgency.**

**"Aah, you're right. Hold on." Squall grabbed his SeeD uniform slacks and proceeded to put them on in a hurry, continuing to talk to him. "I've grown accustomed to sleeping in the nude. Sorry." Squall then sat down on the bed next to him one he was partially clothed, looking into his eyes.**

**"I talked to Selphie," he said as the smile faded from his face. "She told me what you said to her."**

**"…I know." Squall said as he looked away in shame. "I think I told her all of that because I was angry. God, what crossed my mind to make me do something so stupid like that?"**

**"Don't make excuses to me. You need to tell her that," Zell said to him. Squall looked into his eyes once more, feeling that he was trying to get through to him. "She needs to hear it. The Garden Festival is her heart and soul. You know that, right?"**

**"…Yes," was all he could say. "I'll apologize to her the first I see of her today. Profusely."**

**"That's all I wanted with that issue. Now that that is out of the way, I'd like to tell you what happened earlier with Seifer."**

**"You kissed him."**

**Zell sat silent as he tried to piece his reply together in a way not to offend him. "First things first, I need you to understand that I forgive you for hitting me."**

**"R-Really?" Squall's eyes lit up as he hugged Zell. "Thank you!"**

**"No problem. Who wouldn't be mad if they were in your shoes? I don't want to hold anything over your head about tonight, because it's fine!"**

**"I'm relieved," Squall continued on, releasing him. "The entire thing was weighing on my mind through all of this anger. I forgive you too, so let's put this behind us."**

**"There's something else I need to tell you, since you asked why earlier. Yes…I did kiss him. He didn't force me to do it; I did it of my own free will. And I'm not saying that's an excuse, because it isn't. But that's really all that happened before you showed up. Seifer didn't force himself on me or anything. It just…happened, if that's possible."**

**"But…why?" Squall continued, curiosity filling his voice. "You don't like him. Neither of us like him."**

**"Well, that's sort of complicated to say," Zell said back as he tilted his head. "The only thing that makes sense is that I felt sorry for him. I didn't leave you there at the reception with an excuse just so I could be with him, if that's what you thought. After I asked you to be mine, it hit me as to how big a step putting a ring on your finger is. Making a huge commitment like that for someone as young as we are is pretty grand-scale. That's why I hopped up and left like that. It didn't necessarily mean marriage, but a long-term commitment."**

**"Well, it is a large step. I agree.**

**"Yep, it is. Which leads me to the real reason I came here." Zell's hands became shaky an uneasy as he began to word his thoughts and fears, taking his lover's hand into his. "Squall, I…the reason why I proposed to you is…to keep you close to me."**

**"I'd be close to you no matter what," he responded in an attempt to reassure him.**

**"Yeah, but I'm afraid that…I don't love you, Squall."**

**That was it. It seemed like earlier tonight all over again. The negative images. The worst fears. All bombarding his mind in a wave of confusion. He didn't love him? He didn't love him?! How could this be? Squall sat there stunned, ripping his stare away from Zell while feeling the pain of what seemed to be rejection. His mouth agape, it was all he could do to stand up and pace around trying to connect the dots. Had he been hearing things? Or did he just say that he didn't love him?**

**"But!" Zell was quick to add on after he got up with him. "It doesn't mean that I can't love you! I can learn! I've been really confused these past few days. By saying that I didn't love you, it means that I'm not sure I do. All I need is a bit more time to understand. That's why I want to keep you close to me, Squall. I don't want you to leave me."**

**"So, what?" He responded in a huff, turning around to meet his stare. "Am I just a placeholder for you until you make your decision? Do you realize how this makes me FEEL? I feel like a damned stand-by!" Squall ended up throwing his arms into the air in complete frustration. He didn't understand. "I have to wait for you to make a decision in regards to your professed love to me? I'm your boyfriend, Zell! I fought for you! Doesn't that mean anything?"**

**"All I need is more time," Zell told him, urging him to grant his request. "Please, just more time."**

**He couldn't take it anymore. After shaking his head, trying to understand Zell's feelings--which led to failure on his part--and much pacing around while mumbling to himself, Squall looked at him sternly and pointed to the door. "Leave."**

**"What?"**

**"Leave."**

**"B-But, I~~"**

**Squall decided to physically usher him to the door now. "You want time? You've got time. I don't have the patience for games. I'm serious about this relationship, as should you be." The portal's doors slid open, as Squall gave Zell a push out into the hallways, causing the young fighter to land chest first into the adjacent wall outside.**

**"Come back when you grow a set of balls," Squall said, visibly irritated, as Zell hopped up and looked at him in dismay before the sliding doors closed upon his line of vision.  
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